Police kiosk to manage traffic chaos near Khadakwasla dam in Pune

PUNE: The police have taken various measures to reduce chaos and increase the flow of vehicles near Khadakwasla dam, where traffic snarls have become the norm on weekends and on holidays.
A barricading has been installed on the stretch to restrict haphazard parking of vehicles and also restrict people from entering the water. A kiosk is also coming up from where the police will make continuous announcements appealing to citizens not to halt their vehicles on the road and enter the dam water.
Trials of some measures were held on the weekend by the police. Officials said that more measures would be taken in the next one month in a phased manner.
Regular travellers said that the measures should be in place for a longer period. Ashok Mate, a local resident, however, alleged that the rules are mostly followed only for a few weeks and then things go back to where they were. "We want the administration to be more vigilant, especially on weekends, when footfall at the dam goes up by several notches and the situation more chaotic," he said.
Vikram Patil, a resident of Vishrantwadi, who recently travelled to Sinhagad via Khadakwasla, said that he was stuck in traffic near the dam for an hour on Sunday evening. "Like me, many commuters were stuck in long queues. There is a need to deal with these frequent traffic jams on near the dam," Patil said.
Saket Gore, a local resident, said people have been facing hardships because of narrow roads and lack of traffic. "The road work has been dragging on for long. There are no signages either. People park their vehicles on both sides of the road and the food stalls occupy space too, leaving little space for vehicles," he added.
Jui Kanade, a resident of Kothrud, said that the administration should develop alternative roads to decentralise traffic. "There is a need to initiate action against food stalls there," Kanade said. Sandeh Hagawane, a local resident, said that the police presence should increase at key junctions during rush hours.
The police officials said that additional manpower would be deployed on weekends when the footfall goes up. Nitin Nam, assistant police inspector, Haveli Police Station, said, "We are restricting haphazard parking. Visitors are being prevented from entering the water." Officials from the irrigation department said that they have deployed security guards but that it was not possible to cover all the locations along the dam.
The department has installed boards at vulnerable spot appealing to citizens not to venture into the water. Ramesh Bapat, a regular traveller, said that the population in the area has gone up many folds, which has led to increase in footfall at the dam.