Pune: Khadki Residents, School children Protest Against Unsafe Roads and Traffic Chaos
Khadki Railway Station, 3rd October 2025: Residents, students, and staff of St. Thomas School came together on Friday to stage a peaceful protest march along the Sai Mandir–Mont Vert Pristine stretch, demanding immediate action on unsafe traffic conditions, neglected roads, and hazards near railway gates in the neighbourhood.
The march began at noon at Sai Mandir junction, where schoolchildren and staff carried placards and raised slogans highlighting the daily risks they face on their way to school. Later in the evening, residents from societies along Aundh Road and Bhau Patil Road joined the protest, marching towards Mont Vert Pristine Society to express solidarity and press for safer streets.
Protesters raised long-standing demands, including the closure of unsafe railway parcel gates, installation of traffic signals, and regular police presence at key junctions. They also called for overdue repairs of broken internal roads stretching from Range Hill underpass to Sai Baba Chowk. Additional demands included construction of road dividers, streamlining of cab drop-offs near Sai Mandir and St. Thomas School, and banning the movement of heavy goods vehicles through residential lanes.
Organisers stressed that the protest was not confrontational but focused on community safety. “Our children’s lives cannot be put at risk every single day. We need proper road infrastructure, not jugaad fixes,” said one parent marching with her child.
The demonstration reflected strong community unity, with families, schools, churches, and local residents participating shoulder to shoulder. To continue the momentum, organisers have also launched an online petition urging civic authorities to act and calling on all housing societies in the area to extend their support.
The protest concluded peacefully, with participants reaffirming their collective demand: safer roads, peaceful living, and a secure future for the neighbourhood.
