“Ego Battles Costing Lives”: Forum Blames PMC and Pune Police for Nagar Road Chaos
Yerwada, 16th September 2025: The Association of Nagar Road Citizens Forum (ANRCF) has strongly criticized the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and the Pune City Traffic Police for failing to coordinate on critical traffic and infrastructure projects along Nagar Road, alleging that poor planning and ego-driven decision-making are worsening congestion and endangering citizens.
Convenor Qaneez Sukhrani said that both PMC and the police were working in isolation without addressing citizens’ concerns. “Neither PMC nor the Police have put on their thinking caps, nor do they cooperate with each other. Each authority works in its own box, believing it is the expert. This myopic vision harms administrative and enforcement management, while citizens continue to suffer,” she said.
The citizens’ group has long been demanding an Integrated Masterplan for Nagar Road and adjoining areas. According to them, the existing Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP) is insufficient, as it only provides data and five-year statements without addressing real-time challenges.
Despite repeated communications to senior officials including Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Manoj Patil, PMC Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram, PMRDA Commissioner Rahul Prithviraj, and senior state bureaucrats, residents allege that no joint site visit has been conducted to justify the controversial “No Signal / Only U-Turn” traffic plan recently implemented.
“Fast-moving buses and heavy vehicles continue to ply on these stretches without restrictions, creating serious safety hazards. While traffic flow may have increased, pedestrian safety has been completely ignored,” Sukhrani added.
She noted that citizen demands for pedestrian crossings, speed breakers, rumblers, and wardens have been ignored by the Traffic Police, calling their work “shoddy and mismanaged.”
Citizens Highlight Repeated Concerns
On September 12, residents observed PMC trenching the Nagar Road median at Shastrinagar for a grade separator, despite no Masterplan being in place.
On September 8, citizens of Viman Nagar, Kalyani Nagar, and Nagar Road sent a petition, supported by photos and videos, highlighting safety risks caused by the new traffic plan.
On August 8, the forum objected to PMC starting work on Nagar Road side margins without an approved Masterplan.
On May 11, residents demanded a stakeholders’ meeting with agencies including MSIDC, MahaMetro, and PMC departments to present detailed plans.
Earlier, on May 10, PMC had floated a tender for appointing a Consultant Transport Planner for the Nagar Road Mobility Plan, Traffic Simulation, and Airport Area Integration Plan. However, ANRCF says work is still being carried out “in bits and pieces” without an overarching vision.
In September 2024, the citizens’ forum had already sent a legal notice demanding that PMC engage a transport planner for an Integrated Masterplan covering Nagar Road, VIP Airport Road, and peripheral areas.
Key Demands from Citizens
Clarification on whether newly introduced U-turns at Dargah, Somnath Nagar, AGNI, Shastri Nagar, and Parnakutti are temporary or permanent.
Completion of the Shivane–Kharadi bypass to divert 55% of Nagar Road traffic.
Urgent removal of roadside obstructions such as walls, railings, and bus shelters to expand Nagar Road to six lanes on both sides.
Clear timelines on land acquisition under the Development Plan (1987) to eliminate bottlenecks.
Transparency on why earlier flyover plans were replaced with current Y-shaped flyover and grade separator proposals.
“PMC keeps holding meetings with agencies separately, but not with all stakeholders, including us citizens, who first raised the alarm. Until there is an Integrated Masterplan, these piecemeal efforts will only worsen congestion,” Sukhrani emphasized.
