NIBM Annexe slope road reopens for traffic

PUNE: While the NIBM Annexe Slope Road connecting NIBM to Mohammadwadi, Undri and other areas of the city was thrown open to the public Wednesday evening following an inauguration ceremony, area residents who had gathered for the function expressed happiness at the opening but also raised serious safety concerns. They cautioned the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) that a major portion of the work remains incomplete, including land acquisition for the expansion of Sunshree Society. They warned about several utility (including electric) cables which posed a risk to commuters especially during the monsoon.

Jaymala Dhankikar, a prominent social worker from Ganga Kingston, said, “We have been demanding road completion work for the past two months and it has been inordinately delayed and less manpower has been deployed for completing the work which should have been completed within two months. Also, the current road is hazardous and needs to be expanded as it tapers down towards Sunshree Society. The PMC must immediately complete land acquisition and sanction substantial funds towards completion of the project. Currently there are no street lights along the stretch which could be hazardous. We need complete CCTV monitoring of the road and want traffic police to regulate the traffic till completion of the project.”

Yug Joshi tweeted, “Can we make sure heavy tankers and trucks are not allowed on this road until both sides are completed else the road is going to be damaged very soon.”

Businessman Nicky Gurnani tweeted, “If they don’t stop heavy vehicles from plying on this unfinished road, we are in for a rough ride ahead.”

Whereas corporator Nanda Lonkar said, “The road has been reopened to the public to decongest the area and end their suffering. We are taking all steps to make the road safe for commuters and the remaining portion will be completed soon.”

The PMC road department is constructing the 24 feet wide road at a cost of Rs3 crore. Mohammadwadi residents had claimed that the PMC was building good infrastructure in a few select areas of the city while ignoring Mohammadwadi and Undri where it has collected more than Rs224 crore in taxes since 2015. The NIBM citizens’ forums have been very vocal about resolving the road issue along with development of civic infrastructure in the area which they feel has been ignored for over a decade.