Lohegaon residents demand alternate of Porwal road, meet MLA Mulik

Sumit Singh

Lohegaon, Pune, August 9, 2019 : The Lohegaon Residents Welfare Association (LRWA) representatives met MLA Jagdish Mulik at his office on Friday and discussed pending DP Road and drinking water issue. LRWA is trying to get the two DP roads completed (Nyati-Jakat Naka & Rivell Orchid-Kashmiri Bhawan).

LRWA team has prepared a detailed map for all alternate roads/DP roads (parallel to Porwal road) in the area with their current status. The same was shown to MLA Mulik and discussion happened regarding the road which has already been completed by more than 80% (Anna vada pav to Nyati via BU Bhandari – parallel to Porwal road) but kept on “hold” since a very long time.

MLA Mulik informed them that he has already allotted budget for that road, but due to some conflict with landowners at 2 plots, that road (Anna Vada Pav to Nyati via BU Bhandari) was not completed, so that alternate road is not ready to use.

In the afternoon, MLA Mulik visited Dhanori Jakat Naka to check the incomplete DP Road along with LRWA representatives & Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) officials. The PMC officials explained him the obstructions.

During the discussion, LRWA members learnt that PMC officials have not done road marking and no letter has been issued to landowners (who have not agreed to give their land for the road). PMC was supposed to issue notice to Mar Theophilus School but they haven’t yet. School is supposed to handover a part of land for DP road but they are not cooperating.

Meanwhile, LRWA team requested MLA Mulik for murum filling work for the road in front of Orchid hospital/ Aurum Elementto society as LRWA has planned to divert the city going traffic at Apple medical store (Porwal road) to Road in front of Orchid hospital in order to avoid traffic congestion at Kamlai Dairy cowk, on that MLA Mulik  agreed and had a talk with ward officer of PMC, and asked the LRWA team to follow up for the same. LRWA team will be following Murum Filling Work for the road in front of Orchid hospital/ Aurum Elementto society. LRWA will regularly take follow up with PMC on this issue.

The LRWA is making all efforts to make the area, a preferred place to live with basic amenities, but at the end, if nothing work, then they have threatened to agitate at Jakat Naka.

Why Porwal Road is crucial road? 

● There are 60+ Societies with about 8000 flats on and around Porwal Road alone.
● From morning till night, residents as well as delivery vehicles, water tankers, Uber/Ola Cabs, Construction vehicles, Public/Company Buses, all sorts of vehicles use Porwal Road which is the only road for entire population. Considering private and commercial vehicles, there are about 20000 vehicles everyday on this road.
● Apart from Residential buildings, there are 5 Hospitals, 1 college, 2 major schools & 5 kindergartens on Porwal Road. Hence Porwal Road is again the only access road for Ambulances & School Buses.
● PCMC is constructing road connecting DY Patil & Alandi Road via Charholi. It is supposed to be connected as an extension to western DP road (Jakat Naka-Nyati Evita). Once completed, all the traffic from PCMC, Chakan & Alandi, especially commercial vehicles, will go through Porwal Road as the western DP road is not yet completed.

● This lone Porwal road is just 25ft wide and at Kamlai Dairy, it narrows down to 15ft. Because of this, there is traffic jam every day in the morning as well as in evening. Such a narrow road is the only option for all the residents and commercial vehicles. Forget pedestrians, there is no footpath for them.

● ● Solution ● ●
The proposed DP Roads (Eastern & Western) should be constructed soon. The survey for Eastern DP Road has started. But it will take more than year to get operational.

The tender for western DP road was issued in 2012. From Jakat Naka, only 200m of road was constructed. Then 300m patch was ignored and remaining 900m is constructed till Nyati Evita.

That 300m patch is incomplete because Martheopolis School has not handed over the land required and neither PMC nor any political leader has shown interest in the acquisition process. Infact, even when the tender was given to a contractor, the work at that 300m patch was stopped citing bridge requirement at nullah near BU Bhandari. But this was only an excuse.

So just 300m of incomplete part is forcing the citizens to use the narrow Porwal Road. That 300m of small part is incomplete because of land acquisition issue. Also, the 200m porton at Jakat Naka has become den for anti-social elements & scrapyard. Illegal activities happen there.