Sudden Closure Of Rajaram Bridge Causes Massive Traffic Jam In Pune; PMC Issues Notice To Contractor

Pune, 2nd May 2025: Commuters in Pune faced severe inconvenience on Monday (28th April) as an unprecedented traffic jam gripped Sinhagad Road due to the sudden closure of the Rajaram Bridge. The chaos unfolded without prior warning, leaving citizens stuck in traffic for hours on the first working day of the week.

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has since issued a notice to the contractor responsible for closing the bridge without any prior intimation. The move has sparked public outrage and raised questions about the lack of communication and coordination among civic authorities.

The traffic congestion, which lasted several hours, was triggered when the contractor shut down the Rajaram Bridge to carry out maintenance work without securing final clearance. According to PMC officials, the contractor had applied for permission to repair the expansion joints on the bridge and had received initial approval from the traffic police. However, he proceeded to block the road on Monday at 8 a.m. without notifying either the police or the civic project department.

The sudden roadblock caused thousands of vehicles to be stranded along Sinhagad Road, bringing traffic to a near standstill. Videos of the gridlock quickly went viral on social media, capturing the frustration of commuters and the scale of the disruption.

The PMC, which had commissioned a structural audit of old bridges over the Mula-Mutha River and appointed contractors for necessary repairs, is now under pressure to act. The contractor has been given three days to submit an explanation, and the civic body is expected to decide on further action based on the response.