PMC begins dismantling cycle track, to relocate BRTS bus stops on Swargate to Hadapsar route
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) in India is removing the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) bus stops and cycle track on the Swargate to Hadapsar route to ease traffic congestion. Locals have long been demanding that the road be widened, and the PMC is finally taking measures to address their concerns. The PMC has started relocating the bus stops to the side of the road and dismantling the cycle track, which is not being used by cyclists and is contributing to worsening traffic conditions.
After dismantling the 3.6 kilometres’ stretch of Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) on Ahmednagar (Nagar) Road in June, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has now started removing the BRTS bus stops in the middle of the Swargate to Hadapsar route along with undoing the two kilometres’ cycle track between Fatima Nagar and Vaiduwadi to ease traffic congestion in Hadapsar and Vaiduwadi.
While traffic congestion in Hadapsar and Vaiduwadi has been a pressing issue for the longest time, with locals demanding that the Hadapsar-Vaiduwadi Road be widened, the PMC is finally taking measures to address the locals’ concerns. Former corporator Yogesh Sasane brought to the attention of deputy chief minister, Ajit Pawar, during the latter’s recent visit, the need to widen the Hadapsar-Vaiduwadi Road. Thereafter, additional commissioner Vikas Dhakane; and officials from the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML); PMC road department; and traffic police inspected the area.
“Actually, the dedicated BRTS stretch is non-existent on the Swargate to Hadapsar route. Therefore, as per discussions with additional commissioner Dhakane and upon his instructions, we have started relocating the BRTS bus stops in the middle of the road. After relocation of the bus stops, we will get a 100 metres’ wide lane for traffic,” said Sudhir Chavan, executive engineer of the PMC road department.
“As part of the experiment, we are relocating the Vaiduwadi BRTS bus stop. After that, we will relocate the other BRTS bus stops to the side of the road from Fatima Nagar to Magarpatta Chowk,” Chavan said.
While the stretch from Fatima Nagar to Hadapsar Crematorium is 40 metres’ wide, the road becomes narrow and congested thereon. Further, the Swargate to Hadapsar BRTS stretch has a total 12 BRTS bus stops. According to locals, the cycle track too has been contributing to the worsening traffic conditions in the area even as it was originally introduced to promote eco-friendly transport. To rectify the situation, the PMC has started dismantling the cycle track on the night of August 28.
“The cycle track is not being used by cyclists currently. Instead, people are using it for parking their vehicles or riding two-wheelers. After the removal of the cycle track, we will get 2 to 2.35 metres of extra space on each side of the road which will help to reduce traffic problems,” Chavan said.
A senior PMPML official said, “The cycle track and footpath here are not used by people. According to the PMC, the space freed by removing the cycle track and footpath will help widen the road and reduce traffic congestion. Hence, the civic body is removing the cycle track and footpath, and relocating the BRTS bus stops that are currently in the middle of the road.”
The Katraj-Swargate-Hadapsar was a pilot BRTS of 11.5 kilometres originally implemented in 2007. While the PMC revamped the Katraj to Swargate BRTS corridor, the Swargate to Hadapsar BRTS corridor could never become a dedicated BRTS corridor owing to the defence establishments in between.
