Pune: No-Parking Zones, Footpath Cutbacks Planned to Decongest Sinhagad Road Flyover

Sinhgad Road, 7th May 2025: In a major step toward easing persistent traffic snarls along the Sinhagad Road corridor, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and city police have launched a joint initiative to decongest the ever-busy Veer Baji Pasalkar Chowk.

As part of the plan, no-parking zones will be enforced on all four sides of the chowk, and the traffic police post currently stationed at the junction will be shifted within the next two days, PMC officials confirmed. The move comes in the wake of mounting vehicular pressure from the newly constructed flyover connecting Rajaram Bridge to Fun Time, which funnels large traffic volumes into Pasalkar Chowk, especially during evening peak hours.

The announcement was made by Anirudh Pawaskar, head of the Municipal Corporation’s Road Department, during a site visit attended by Additional Police Commissioner Manoj Patil, Women’s Commission Chairperson Rupali Chakankar, Shiv Sena (Thackeray faction) leader Mahesh Pokle, NCP’s Rahul Pokle, and several concerned local residents.

Signal Extended, Rickshaws and Vendors Targeted
Authorities have already extended signal timing towards Dhayari to manage the traffic flow. However, the congestion at the junction is also caused by unauthorized rickshaw stands, street vendors, tempos, and improperly parked vehicles, which choke the road space and delay commuters.

To address this, both the police post and the rickshaw stand currently located under the flyover will be shifted, making room for better traffic flow. The footpath will be realigned, and a dedicated free lane will be carved out for vehicles turning left from Dhayari toward Swargate, allowing uninterrupted movement.

Dhayari Side Gets Special Focus
Officials noted that vehicles coming from Veer Baji Pasalkar Chowk towards Dhayari are often blocked by parked vehicles and encroachments on the side road along the Dhayari Bridge. These bottlenecks create a ripple effect, pushing the traffic logjam back into Pasalkar Chowk itself.

To mitigate this, the area under the bridge and along the side road will be declared a no-parking zone, and illegal businesses and encroachments will be cleared. If implemented effectively, this move is expected to free up critical road space and ease congestion at the junction.