Pune: The traffic diversion at Shastrinagar junction has created a new hazard on Nagar Road, with motorists driving on the wrong side for 3-4km (Gunjan Chowk to Ramwadi) to bypass congestion caused by grade separator work. Commuters said the practice was widespread during peak hours, forcing vehicles on the opposite side to contend with sudden intrusions and making the stretch dangerous for everyone.“I had never driven on the wrong side before, but after getting stuck in traffic, I saw other two-wheelers riders doing it and followed them. I know it is dangerous, but it saves time,” Wadgaonsheri resident Anand Kumar, who commutes to Ramwadi daily, said.The problem is most visible during office hours, when traffic from Kalyaninagar, Vimannagar, Wadgaonsheri and Ramwadi converges on Nagar Road. With road space already limited, vehicles entering the opposite carriageway leave little room for oncoming traffic. “I was coming from Ramwadi when suddenly two bikes appeared on my side of the road. I had to brake abruptly. If someone is travelling at speed, it could easily lead to an accident,” Anushka R, a college student from Vimannagar, said.Farooq Charanya, a commuter from Kalyaninagar, said the traffic situation had become unpredictable. “Earlier, everyone moved in the same direction, so you knew what to expect. Now you constantly have to watch for vehicles coming towards you from the wrong side. Even a small mistake can cause a head-on collision,” she said.The impact is also being felt on diversion routes leading towards Golf Course Chowk, where slowing traffic has prompted some motorists to seek shortcuts via narrower internal roads, adding to congestion and chaos. Kalyani Jadhav from Wadgaonsheri said, “One person takes the wrong side because traffic is moving slowly, then others follow. Within minutes, there are 10-15 vehicles coming from the opposite direction. It becomes dangerous for everyone, including those following traffic rules.”Motorists have called for stricter traffic management along the stretch, particularly during morning and evening hours. They urged the deployment of traffic personnel at key entry points to prevent wrong-side driving and demanded clearer signage to guide vehicles along designated diversion routes.“The grade separator work is necessary and commuters understand that. But people cannot be expected to take risks every day for the next few months. If wrong-side driving is normalised now, it will be difficult even after traffic conditions improve,” Ramwadi commuter Ashok Rale said.Traffic officials said the diversion would stay till the grade separator project was completed. Commuters, however, said unless enforcement and traffic management were strengthened, the temporary arrangement could continue to create serious safety risks on one of the city’s busiest corridors.
