Traffic chaos - Indisciplined drivers, burden of vehicles smite NIBM Chowk

PUNE: This is one chowk that can be a classic example of failed traffic management, civic apathy to the growing needs of the suburbs and lack of discipline among vehicle users.
Nowhere else in the city can one spot such a chaotic scene where school buses, private buses and cabs, heavy vehicles, illegal hawkers, parking on narrow roads. On NIBM Road in Kondhwa, a total disregard for traffic discipline has reached epic proportions.
Local residents said on an average more than two lakh vehicles pass via the diagonal chowk connecting to Salunke Vihar Road, NIBM Road, Kondhwa, Mohammadwadi, Undri, Pisoli and Wadachiwadi.The National Institute of Bank Management (NIBM) is located towards the end of the road. After Pune Municipal Corporation took over the fringe villages in 1998, a large number of housing societies have come up along and around the 650m road between NIBM and Jyoti Chowk.
A large number of foreign students have contributed to different cafes and food joints and caterers and cheaper rental accommodation in the nearby areas of Kausarbaug keep the area busy at all hours.
Shops for carpets, handloom, exhibition stalls, locksmiths, opticians, cellphones, fruits and vegetables also draw people who also shop for fish and mutton. The area has developed over the years and the presence of a young crowd has added to its vibrancy and contributed heavily to the number of vehicles and the load of traffic in the last five years.
Minor disputes over vehi cles brushing each other, overspeeding, rash and negligent driving, arguments with policemen when caught for flouting norms are common here. The civic body has laid conte roads and installed street crete roads and installed street lights, but with the election in February , residents want the elected representative to focus more on improving the infrastructure relating to traffic because the larger public interest is at stake. Manisha Oulkar, president of Bramha Majestic, among the biggest housing societies in the chowk, said the stretch between Jyoti and NIBM chowks must be turned into a one-way becau se people face hardships in getting into their societies because of traffic jams.
“We are forced to use the rear gate connecting to Kausarbaug off NIBM Road. We have 550 flats and 112 shops and offices and our members have to wait for a considerable time to cross the road from one side to the other. If vehicular traffic coming from Undri is diverted via the road near Bakers Point to Salunke Vihar Road instead of travelling down NIBM Road, some respite is possible,“ she said.
The defunct signal has been brought to the notice of the local corporator Nanda Lonkar who has got speed breakers installed, Oulkar added.
The society's secretary Bhaskar Deshpande said, “The civic body before granting permission to the builders should ensure that proper infrastructure is made available for maintaining the road density per km, electricity and water. The civic body is not serious about providing the infrastructure for smooth flow of traffic.“
Senior citizens wait for 30 minutes to cross the road because vehicular traffic converging from three places create a severe nuisance. Members of Kubera Colony , another housing society on the road, face similar problems. The walkways constructed by the civic body are often used by youths to ride their motorbikes or are encroached upon by hawkers. The civic body must take corrective measures for decongesting traffic on NIBM Road, many elders said.
Home maker Zia Inamdar from NIBM Road suggested that instead of blaming the authorities, residents must assist the traffic police in maintaining discipline and create awareness on speed limit. “ A heavy penalty on violators will act as a strong deterrent. When parents allow their wards to ride motorcycles, they should ensure that they develop traffic sense too,“ Zia said.
Tanveer Daruwala, proprietor of RIMS International on NIBM Road, said three months ago the civic body had widened some parts of NIBM Annexe Road, but portions leading to the chowk have been left untouched. This creates congestion in the area because the density of the vehicle population in the nearby suburbs like Undri have gone up.
Daruwala said trucks, tankers and PMPML buses pass via the chowk and the problem has aggravated because of poor civic planning. “There is a lot of traffic in the evening because it has become a residential area.Congestions can be curbed if parking of cars is not allowed during peak hours,“ he said. PMC medical officer Bharat war said there are several Pawar said there are several schools in the fringe areas and a large number of students travel in buses, cars, vans and autorickshaws which impacts the smooth flow of traffic on NIBM Chowk for nearly 30 to 45 minutes in the morning and evening.Traffic jams are seen up to Dorabjee mall and Sarvodaya society .
“Most students reach schools and homes late which causes anxiety among parents. Drivers are also stressed out. A flyover or alternative road must be constructed for reducing congestion,“ he said.
Pawar suggested that buses coming from Fatimanagar, Wanowrie and Camp should be diverted via Azadnagar and Krishnanagar to reach schools in Mohammadwadi and Undri. Schools buses coming from Bibvewadi and Kondhwa should pass via Bakers Point, NIBM Annexe Road and Corinthian Club because the route directly leads to the schools.
Moreover, most vehicles heading to Hadapsar via Mohammadwadi and Kalepadal railway crossing prefer to take longer routes via NIBM Chowk from Undri and southeast of the city to pass via Wanowrie, Fatimanagar and Pune-Solapur highway because there are severe traffic snarls at the Kalepadal crossing. The problem can be eased if a flyover is constructed, Pawar added.
Web designer Bhupesh Sharma felt if a part of land from the State Reserve Police Force is handed over to PMC, the routes from Wanowrie leading to NIBM Chowk can be widened for smoother traffic. The move will make the movement of SRPF jawans easy during an emergency . Vehicles can pass via Punyadham ashram in upper Kondhwa and Sanskruti school in Undri if an approach road is created to ease traffic on NIBM Chowk, he said.
Businessman Vilas Shinde said parents must send their children to schools in one vehicle and schools should sensitise parents about it.
It did come up in a PTA meeting in a leading school, but did not work out because the school refused to share amy data of students like their names, addresses and phone number of their parents.
“If people want to travel to Saswad, Baramati, Phaltan and Purandar, they prefer the longer route via NIBM Chowk instead Hadapsar and Phursungi because of the high density of traffic. If the highway is widened, congestion will reduce,“ Shinde added.