Pune's central business and commercial districts descended into a state of complete traffic paralysis this Saturday, transforming major arterial roads into a nightmarish maze of stationary vehicles and frustrated commuters.
A Perfect Storm of Events Triggers Chaos
The gridlock was the result of multiple coinciding events. A significant crowd flocked to the book fair on FC Road, while simultaneous VIP visits in the area led to security halts. Adding to the turmoil, residents in Sadashiv Peth held protests, and the Pune Municipal Corporation's ongoing repair work on Tilak Road forced major diversions.
This combination created a domino effect of congestion. Vehicles diverted from Tilak Road flooded onto Lal Bahadur Shastri Road from Puram Chowk, causing a severe snarl. Furthermore, traffic police brought movement to a complete standstill at Khandojibaba Chowk to facilitate VIP convoys on FC Road, which in turn crippled movement on Laxmi Road, Tilak Road, and LBS Road.
Commuters Stranded and Fuming
For citizens, a routine weekend drive turned into a gruelling ordeal, with many spending between 30 minutes to a full hour navigating very short distances. The ripple effect of the FC Road congestion extended to JM Road, Ganeshkhind Road, BMCC Road, SB Road, and Law College Road.
Akash Bhamare, a resident of Karvenagar heading to work on FC Road, shared his experience. "I was stuck in a complete gridlock at Good Luck Chowk around 4 pm. After 10 minutes of no movement, I parked my two-wheeler and walked to work," he said. He noted that the situation remained dire hours later and that he reached his office late despite leaving early, urging authorities to improve weekend traffic management.
Another commuter, Govind, a private firm employee, highlighted the parking crisis that compounded the problem. "Parking was another major issue on FC Road, with two-wheelers occupying most spaces. Car owners, especially those visiting the book fair, struggled to find parking," he stated.
Official Response and Reasoning
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Himmat Jadhav acknowledged the challenges. He confirmed that police teams were deployed at all major junctions to manage the situation. Jadhav attributed the unprecedented rush to a large number of people heading out in four-wheelers for the book fair and shopping on FC Road and Laxmi Road.
He also cited the VIP visits to the book fair in the afternoon, which required brief traffic halts at certain junctions as per protocol. The officer added that the impending holiday season starting the following week contributed to the overall rush on the roads.
The event serves as a stark reminder of Pune's growing traffic management challenges, especially on weekends when multiple large-scale events coincide with ongoing civic work.
