Over 70,000 Poles on Pune Footpaths Under Review to Reduce Traffic Congestion
Pune, 3rd October 2025: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has initiated steps to address traffic congestion at key roads and intersections across the city. A joint committee comprising PMC officials and representatives from the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company (MSEDCL) will be formed to identify and remove electric poles and feeder pillars obstructing traffic.
A few days ago, Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram convened a meeting with the Road Department to assess the reasons for congestion on 32 major roads. Following this, over 200 junior engineers conducted on-site inspections to identify bottlenecks.
The inspections revealed multiple factors contributing to traffic snarls. Last week, PMC officials held a detailed discussion with the Pune Traffic Police to review congestion points. Recently, a meeting between PMC and MSEDCL officials focused specifically on the obstruction caused by electricity poles and feeder pillars on roads and footpaths.
Additional Commissioner Omprakash Divate provided details of the initiative, stating, “During our inspection, we observed that electricity poles and Mahavitaran feeder pillars are obstructing traffic at several key points. The joint committee will conduct on-site inspections to plan their removal and propose solutions. Further action will be taken once the committee finalizes its recommendations.”
Divate added that MSEDCL has approximately 70,000 poles on footpaths across Pune. “The committee will also survey suitable locations to relocate these poles, ensuring they no longer obstruct traffic while maintaining essential electricity infrastructure,” he said.
The PMC said the formation of the joint committee marks the first step toward easing congestion and improving traffic flow in the city, particularly at high-traffic intersections.
