Pune: PMC to Reduce Oversized Footpaths on Major Roads to Ease Traffic Congestion
Pune, 29th September 2025: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to reduce unnecessarily wide footpaths on major city roads and junctions that are contributing to traffic congestion. The decision comes after on-ground inspections by PMC engineers.
While reducing the footpath width, the civic body will ensure that it does not fall below the standards specified in the Urban Street Design Guidelines, said Road Department Head Aniruddha Pawaskar.
The PMC plans to implement multiple measures to ease traffic jams, focusing on 32 major roads and 22 junctions across the city. Oversized footpaths will be reduced, but the design guidelines will not be compromised, Pawaskar added.
PMC Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram, in coordination with the city’s traffic police, has spearheaded efforts to streamline traffic flow. Surveys conducted by PMC engineers revealed that excessively wide footpaths at some roads and junctions are a major cause of vehicle obstruction.
A joint meeting was recently held involving the PMC, traffic police, MSEDCL, BSNL, and other government departments to plan the removal of road obstructions. Pawaskar emphasized that all work will be carried out without violating rules.
Pedestrian safety remains a priority. Footpath widths on major roads like Jangli Maharaj Road and Gopal Krishna Gokhale Road will not be reduced below the required standards. The adjustments will be based on pedestrian traffic at each location. At junctions where wider footpaths hinder left-turning vehicles, the width will be selectively reduced — again, while adhering to rules and safety norms.
