Pune: Chandrakant Patil Calls for Action-Oriented Plan to Make Kothrud Traffic-Free; Weekly Review Meetings Underway

Kothrud, 25th July 2025: Senior BJP leader and Maharashtra cabinet minister Chandrakant Patil has directed officials to work on the three guiding principles of inspection, action, and execution to resolve traffic congestion in Kothrud. He also called for the strategic installation of CCTV cameras and the implementation of an AI-based challan system to manage traffic violations more effectively.

Patil chaired the second in a series of weekly meetings at his residence to review and expedite solutions for the growing traffic issues in Kothrud. The initiative follows his earlier announcement to hold regular review meetings until the congestion problem is resolved.

Present at the meeting were Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Himmat Jadhav, Anirudh Pawaskar from the Pune Municipal Corporation’s Roads Department, Sandeep Khalate from the Encroachment Department, BJP Pune City General Secretary Punit Joshi, former corporator Deepak Pote, party spokesperson Sandeep Khardekar, Kothrud South Mandal President Kuldeep Savlekar, and other local office bearers including Ganesh Kalamkar, Prakash Balwadkar, Navnath Jadhav, Ajay Marne, and Dr. Sandeep Butala.

Patil began by reviewing progress on the action points from the previous meeting. He questioned the delay in appointing 50 traffic wardens in the area—a commitment made earlier. The Traffic Branch assured that appointments would be made soon.

Discussing hotspots of traffic congestion, Patil asked for a detailed update on field-level actions. The Traffic Police informed him that congestion-prone areas had been surveyed and additional personnel deployed wherever required.

CCTV coverage across Kothrud also came under review. Patil directed the Transport Department to conduct a fresh audit of locations needing surveillance and to initiate installations with the help of public participation. He also recommended integrating AI-powered challan systems at strategic points to improve compliance.

“Only through continuous inspection, swift action, and strong execution can we ensure a traffic-congestion-free Kothrud,” Patil told officials, pledging full cooperation from his end to support implementation.

Meanwhile, a similar review meeting focused on the Baner-Balewadi area is scheduled for later this week. Officials have been instructed to present an action-taken report based on the previous meeting’s resolutions.