The notorious BRTS routes in the city have claimed the lives of four people in the past few days. While the authorities have turned a Nelson's eye to these killer roads, the ongoing flyover, underpass works and non-monitoring of private vehicles on these stretches are adding to the chaos and endangering the lives of citizens
First, it were the teenagers Yogesh Gaikwad and Manthan Devkule, then it was NCP doctors’ cell chief Dr Dilip Ghule and, on Friday, it was Vindeshrao Vivekrao Moodbidari -- all of whom lost their lives on Pune’s first Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) route this month. In spite of civic authorities and traffic police promising better monitoring on BRTS routes after the first mishap, the situation is still far from safe.
Team dna visited the Katraj-Swargate-Hadapsar route, the country’s first pilot project of BRTS, on Saturday only to find that nothing has changed.
What we saw
Traffic wardens ‘missing’
The team observed that at many locations the BRTS lane is discontinued due to the ongoing work. The civic authorities had promised to deploy traffic wardens on the BRTS routes for monitoring traffic, but they were missing at many locations and there was no control on private vehicles to prohibit them from entering the BRTS route, which is strictly for PMPML and State Transport buses.
Katraj-Swargate stretch
There is a total chaos on this entire stretch as the lane has been discontinued at many places due to the ongoing road works. PMC is constructing a flyover ahead of Dhankavdi area on Satara Road and an underpass near Bibvewadi phata. These works are causing unnecessary traffic blocks along the route, especially the chowk near City Pride multiplex.
Swargate-Hadapsar road
Total absence of traffic monitoring is ‘driving’ many private vehicles, including two-wheelers, cars and heavy vehicles, to use the BRTS lane and aggravate the traffic chaos. Many motorists and riders use this stretch as they can travel faster, posing threat to other road users. Local citizens are demanding that the traffic police should deploy staff on this route to discipline traffic.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}