At Hinjewadi chowk,steps to ease traffic bottleneck

Everyday,at Hinjewadi flyover,vehicular traffic comes to a grinding halt for quite long,causing hardships to commuters.

Everyday,at Hinjewadi flyover,vehicular traffic comes to a grinding halt for quite long,causing hardships to commuters. In order to ease the traffic bottlenecks in the Hinjewadi IT Park area,the Pune traffic police,along with other agencies,have decided to ban right-turns at the Hinjewadi chowk,thus removing the traffic signal post soon. The traffic police department has also provided alternative routes for those who need to take a right turn. The plan will be implemented on experimental basis within 15 days.

As per a study conducted by the traffic police,only 14% of the total traffic flow at this square takes a right turn. There is no point creating hindrance for 86% through the signal there, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (traffic) Manoj Patil. Patil,along with Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Commissioner Asheeish Sharma and Divisional Commissioner Dilip Band,reached this solution after a visit to the spot and subsequent meetings.

Approximately 1.25 to 1.5 lakh vehicles pass through the Hinjewadi square per day. The number is bound to increase with the development of more phases in the Rajiv Gandhi IT park. Two important routes that will be provided as alternatives for right turns are from Bhumkar Vasti to Hinjewadi village and from Bhumkar Vasti to Mezza-9 hotel via Marunji Road. Of these,the 600-metre Marunji Road was practically non-motorable and there were disputes about who will carry out the work on it.

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The issue was channelised after much delay and Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) transferred Rs 44 lakh to the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) for the work.

The PCMC has also started work on widening of the route from Bhumkar Vasti to Hinjewadi. Repairing work is being done at Wakad village,Wakad octroi booth and Kala Khadak underpass. For vehicles coming from Mumbai and turning to Aundh,a service road will be constructed near Sayaji Hotel.

Kala Khadak underpass will now have a traffic signal to handle the multi-directional traffic at spot. The PCMC is also working on bad patches,bus stops,broad to narrow flow points within Hinjewadi. The route from Marunji to Bhumkar Vasti will be made one-way between 4 pm and 9 pm. All the one-ways in the city have given a good result, said Patil.

Alternative routes after right-turn ban

* From Pune to Mumbai: Kaspate Vasti-Wakad village-Kalate Nagar

* From Mumbai to Hinjewadi: Bhumkar Vasti-Shivaji chowk in Hinjewadi-Mezza 9 hotel

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* From Hinjewadi to Katraj: Bhumkar Vasti-using Hinjewadi flyover-PDCC Bank-Eden Garden service road

* From Katraj to Wakad Y junction: Wakad octroi booth-Saundarya hotel U turn-using flyover-Kaspate Vasti

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