Confusion rules on first day of new traffic system at SPPU junction
The rotary system is planned as an enlarged road intersection, where all vehicles entering can find suitable gaps to move around on the road in one direction
PUNE: The first day of the new traffic system at Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) junction saw confusion among commuters as they struggled to navigate both the rotary as well as signal-free system at university chowk.
When Hindustan Times visited the spot, it was observed that while the road from SPPU square towards Aundh has been made signal-free, vehicle drivers now have to take a turn after about two-and-a-half kilometres on Pashan road. Also, many new right- and left- turns have been introduced on Pashan road, Ganeshkhind road and Senapati Bapat road.
Oumar Shaikh, a website developer who travels to Aundh every day from Shivaji Nagar, said, “Coming from Shivaji Nagar through SPPU to Aundh, I had to take a left turn on Baner road and after covering a distance of 2.5 km, I connected to University road via Baner. Even from Aundh to SPPU square, I had to cover 1.5 km to take a U-turn to connect to Baner and Pashan road. I got confused while riding my bike today.”
Under the new traffic system, vehicles on Ganeshkhind road headed towards Bremen square have to go through Baner. Bhooshan Shukla, psychiatrist (child and adolescent), said, “What happened at Chandani chowk for months and what is now going on at University circle is misgovernance. Absolute lack of vision and most importantly, lack of ability on the part of our politicians and senior officers. That’s it. No accountability at all.”
The rotary system is planned as an enlarged road intersection, where all vehicles entering can find suitable gaps to move around on the road in one direction before they ‘weave’ out of the traffic flow and onto their respective direction/s.
Shashank Sawant, a commuter, said, “We survive ‘despite’ the inept members on the planning committee and not because of. The long dark red patches of University circle have shifted north to the narrow Baner road and the tiny Parihar chowk. A simple ground visit would have warned them against proceeding with this change.”
Under the new signal-free system, vehicles headed for University circle from Baner road and Aundh road will be immediately able to take a left turn towards Shivajinagar. At the same time, necessary time will be given to pedestrians to cross the road at University circle. While the old U-turn has been closed, a right turn has been allowed from the Senapati Bapat road junction. Also, all traffic coming from Senapati Bapat road (from Chatushringi temple) towards University circle will have to take a left turn from Senapati Bapat Road junction and divert onto Pashan road.
Nimesh Desai said, “University circle has been an epitome of misgovernance since 2007-08. It is just that people adjust to the new normal, a guise for misgovernance.”
Whereas Shubhangi Mulik, traffic police officer on duty at SPPU square, said, “People should cooperate and follow the new system. Since the morning, people are asking us to remove the barricades which is a very wrong practice.”
A Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) official requesting anonymity said, “It was the first day so commuters faced problems. Once they get used to the new system, there will be no problems.”