Pune: PMC has decided to hand over a land parcel at Katraj Chowk for Metro project, but commuters fear it will worsen congestion at one of the city’s busiest junctions long before any long-term relief, with no clear plan yet to manage the growing traffic chaos.Already choked by ongoing Metro and flyover construction, Katraj Chowk has become a daily ordeal for motorists. Barricades put for both projects have squeezed available road space, turning the junction into a massive bottleneck and testing the patience of commuters.Corporator Pratik Kadam slammed the lack of coordination among the agencies involved. “Three different agencies are working at the chowk. Maha Metro is constructing an underground tunnel, NHAI (National Highways Authority of India) is building a flyover, while PMC (Pune Municipal Corporation) and traffic police are responsible for traffic management. Yet there is complete chaos,” he said.Kadam said motorists were spending nearly 30 minutes to travel a stretch of barely 1km around the junction, highlighting the severity of the congestion.In a bid to decongest the area, Kadam has suggested shifting PMPML bus terminus from Katraj Chowk to a reserved plot near Katraj Ghat Road. “The land is already reserved for PMPML and can be utilised. Every possible option must be explored to provide relief to commuters,” he said.The Metro’s underground corridor from Swargate is slated to terminate at Katraj Chowk. While construction has only recently begun, the project is expected to continue for at least two years. Residents feared that traffic conditions could worsen significantly once tunnel boring machines (TBMs) were lowered for excavation, a phase likely to require additional barricading and road restrictions.For residents like Dheeraj Jadhav, frustration is fast boiling over. “The chowk needs a dedicated team to tackle these issues. Delays in the flyover project have only added to the misery. Authorities must prioritise completion of the flyover, widen roads towards Kondhwa and better regulate PMPML bus movement,” he said.PMC to hold joint review of traffic situationTaking note of the traffic woes, mayor Manjusha Nagpure has directed PMC to convene a joint meeting and conduct an on-site inspection with Metro officials at Katraj Chowk.Leader of the House Ganesh Bidkar said PMC would take steps to address the traffic problems and improve coordination among agencies working at the junction.
