Pune: Expired Towing Contract Cripples Traffic Enforcement in Pune Ahead of Civic Polls
Pune, 10th January 2026: As the municipal corporation elections enter a decisive phase, large parts of Pune are grappling with severe traffic congestion caused by VIP movements, campaign rallies, roadshows and public meetings across the city. The situation has worsened due to the absence of towing vehicles, following the expiry of the traffic police’s towing services contract in November 2025, significantly limiting action against illegal parking.
Traffic police officials said the towing contract lapsed before the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) came into force. Since the MCC prohibits new tenders and contracts during the election period, authorities have been unable to initiate the renewal process, resulting in a near-complete halt of towing operations.
With no towing support available, enforcement against vehicles parked in no-parking zones has weakened, leading to rampant roadside parking and further slowing vehicular movement. Several key corridors and busy neighbourhoods have been badly affected, including Jangli Maharaj Road, Senapati Bapat Road, Swargate, Shivajinagar, Koregaon Park, Camp, Deccan, Kondhwa, Wanowrie, Hadapsar, Katraj, Satara Road, Baner, Aundh and Balewadi.
Traffic personnel on the ground said action against illegally parked vehicles has become largely symbolic, allowing congestion to build up rapidly during peak hours.
With polling just five days away, political activity has intensified sharply. Senior leaders, star campaigners and candidates are moving across multiple constituencies, organising rallies, corner meetings, processions and public interactions to mobilise voters.
These events, combined with existing traffic bottlenecks and unchecked parking, have resulted in frequent gridlocks at major junctions, central city areas and peth localities. Commuters report spending 40 to 50 minutes stuck in traffic during peak morning and evening hours, severely disrupting daily travel.
Daily commuters have voiced strong frustration over the deteriorating situation. “Election rallies have already made traffic unmanageable. Add to that vehicles parked on both sides of the road, wrong-side driving, and hawkers occupying footpaths — even walking has become difficult,” said a daily commuter.
Pune Traffic Police Deputy Commissioner Himmat Jadhav acknowledged the challenges, stating that traffic arrangements had been planned around election activities but admitted that the lack of towing vehicles has affected enforcement.
“Traffic planning has been carried out keeping rallies and public meetings in mind. However, enforcement has been impacted due to the expired towing contract. Despite this, we are taking direct action against vehicles parked in prohibited areas,” Jadhav said.
As campaigning reaches its peak, citizens are hoping for improved coordination, temporary enforcement measures and relief from congestion until polling concludes and regular traffic control mechanisms are restored.
