1 day Ago By Sarang Dastane
Pune: The rail underpass in Wakdewadi near the oOld Mumbai-Pune Road and Sakhar Sankul was closed for vehicles on Tuesday morning for almost five hours, after a heavy vehicle damaged a small foot overbridge aligned with the amenity. The traffic police closed vehicular movement through the underpass as a precautionary measure, forcing commuters to take a detour via the CoEP flyover. You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune Vehicles coming from Sakhar Sankul-Agriculture College were unable to travel towards the underpass; similarly, vehicles from Khadki were not allowed to enter the underpass.
The traffic flow was only restored after the FOB was re-installed using cranes. Commuters said that the sudden closure led to inconvenience and delays. Balasaheb Pingle, who ferries children to school, said, "We faced delays in reaching from Sakhar Sankul to the Old Mumbai-Pune Road as the underpass was closed for vehicles unexpectedly.
" Local residents and frequent commuters on the route also pointed out that the absence of height barriers at the entrance of the underpass has led to several such incidents, where bigger vehicles attempt to enter the underpass and get stuck. According to commuter Viraj Shinde, bigger vehicles cannot take turns because of the lack of space at the spot, leading to traffic chaos and snarls. However, vehicles — especially those supplying materials to the ongoing Metro project work nearby — often try to enter the underpass.
"The authorities must install bigger boards to alert drivers of trucks and trolleys about height barriers," Shinde suggested. According to local resident Neha Shah, the underpass also lacks proper maintenance and regular cleaning. "The arrangement of lights is not proper, and the underpass faces waterlogging during the monsoon.
There is continuous seepage of water in the underpass," she rued, adding, "Despite heavy traffic, the authorities have not widened the carriageways of the underpass. Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) needs to come out with a proper plan to increase the vehicle-carrying capacity of the underpass, which will also help decongest the traffic in the area." When contacted by TOI, civic officials said they would carry out inspections and initiate necessary steps to ease traffic movement on the route.
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