Pune residents want speed breakers and traffic islands

A seemingly never ending stretch of road that starts from the Lullanagar junction and extends all the way to the Katraj road, under the new panel boundaries, Kondhwa is divided into two panels, 62 and 63. This region also includes a part of the NIBM Road from NIBM till Jyoti restaurant. DNA spoke to the Kondhwa Mohalla Committee members and other residents to understand their locality’s issues.

Roads and traffic
The residents of the area have earmarked several roads in the locality that are in urgent need of speed breakers. According to Kondhwa Mohalla Committee (KMC) president KC Bhoyar, the road from Lullanagar junction till Jyoti restaurant is a broad road that needs speed breakers at specific intervals. “Vehicles travel at break neck speeds and almost every day, there is an accident,’’ he said.

“It is a nightmare for pedestrians; children and especially, senior citizens to cross the road. Sometimes, we have to wait for 10 minutes before we can cross this road,’’ said Narayan Makam, KMC member.

The issue was raised with the traffic police department in June 2010 and no action has been taken so far by authorities. “They seem to be waiting for a major accident to take place,’’ said Krishna Prabhu, KMC member.

A speed breaker near Ashoka Mews was also an issue raised by a DNA reader recently. “It is dangerous for pedestrians because it is a steep slope and two wheelers especially come down at high speeds,’’ she said.

Traffic islands is another need of the hour on the Kondhwa road. “We need a traffic island near Fakhri Hills along with road widening where the Kondhwa road connects with Salunke Vihar Road. This is a very dangerous T junction where traffic is unruly and jams are common,’’ said Bhoyar.  In addition to speed breakers and traffic islands, KMC members and residents want traffic signals at the Jyoti restaurant junction and the heavily congested junction near the HP petrol pump in Kondhwa.

According to resident of the area and chairman of Konark Pooram, Milan Nikhal, this is a chronic problem in the area. KMC members also demand traffic wardens and policemen at the Jyoti Restaurant junction and Fakhri Hills. “As of now, they are posted when required. But the traffic issues are so chronic that we need a policeman and warden to be posted here,’’ added Bhoyar.

KMC members also lament the gross neglect of the DP road near Krishna Kewal nagar. The road is ridden with potholes and is not being maintained by the PMC even though it is a DP road.

Residents are also fed up of the illegal parking of vehicles near Konark Pooram. Three-wheelers, six-wheelers, tempos and tourist buses are the worst culprits, occupying the width of the road that was widened causing traffic congestion. “Even though action has been taken every time we have complained, what we need are No-Parking boards to curb the problem,’’ Nikhal said.
The issue of road widening near Konark Pooram also needs urgent attention. “After the Jyoti restaurant junction, there is a bottleneck where the width of the small road has been further clogged by hawkers and undisciplined parking of vehicles,’’
said Makam.

Road widening is also needed at the HP petrol pump junction in Kondhwa and the Fakhri Hills junction.

Garbage
Uncleared dumpsters and packs of garbage on street corners are a common sight in this entire neighbourhood. The dumpster near Konark Pooram has been in the eye of the storm for a long time. Yet, a recent recce showed that nothing has changed on the ground. The filth on the road caused by the overflowing dumpster is an eyesore.

Near Krishna Kewal Nagar, the members of the residents’ forum pointed out that people have thrown bags of garbage right under the PMC board that warns them not to do it. “There is utter disregard for the authorities. The PMC must get strict with the culprits,’’ said members.

Encroachment
Encroachment by hawkers in this area is another major issue. KMC members say that the PMC must come up with a policy that allows the hawkers to earn their livelihood without causing nuisance on public roads and areas.
 
Public convenience
KMC also wants footpaths on the entire Kondhwa road stretch right from Lullanagar to Konark Pooram and beyond. “This is a very busy road and without footpaths, it is extremely dangerous for pedestrians to walk on the road,’’ informed Bhoyar.

The complete lack of storm water drains in the entire Kondhwa stretch has resulted in flooding in the area during the monsoons. “The road construction near Jyoti restaurant is defective because there is absolutely no outlet for rainwater on the whole stretch of road,’’ said Bhoyar. Gera Junction, a commercial complex at the Lullanagar junction has been inundated with rainwater for the past several years, as the basement floods and ruins their generators.

As the population of the area has definitely increased over the past decade, KMC members feel the PMC must include some long term planning as their goal.

KMC members also point out to the lack of a single public toilet on the entire Kondhwa road extending all the way to Golibar Maidan which is about 4 km away.  “We need at least 3 public toilets along the whole road,’’ said Prabhu.