Pune: As traffic chaos at Pashan Circle continues to test the patience of thousands of commuters every day, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is now weighing a series of measures aimed at easing chronic congestion by widening the junction and key road stretches in the area.Officials from the civic road department recently conducted site inspections to assess the ground situation and identify land parcels that could be acquired for the proposed expansion. In a fresh push to tackle the problem, local corporators Mayuri Kokate and Ratnamala Satav have submitted a detailed traffic improvement blueprint to PMC standing committee, outlining multiple interventions designed to reduce bottlenecks and improve road safety.The proposal also calls for the immediate allocation of funds and expedited acquisition of land required for the widening works.For residents and daily commuters, the need for action is long overdue. Roads around Pashan Circle and the gaothan area have emerged as some of the city’s worst choke points. “During peak hours, even a minor vehicle breakdown or accident triggers massive traffic snarls, with queues stretching up to 1.5km on either side. Schoolchildren are often caught in the gridlock, while officegoers routinely face long delays,” IT professional Sandip Desai, who works in Sus area, said.According to Kokate, solving Pashan’s traffic crisis will require a three-pronged strategy. “The proposal advocates constructing a grade separator to reduce the concentration of vehicles at the junction, widening the existing chowk, and developing a traffic island to ensure smoother vehicular movement,” she said.The corporator has also proposed creating an alternative road link connecting Nimhan Mala and Someshwarwadi, a move expected to divert traffic away from the heavily burdened Pashan corridor.The residents said the traffic volume in the area had surged dramatically over the past few years, driven by rapid residential and commercial growth in nearby localities like Sus and Bavdhan. While Sus Road has undergone widening, roads in the Pashan belt remain comparatively narrow. “Adding to the challenge are defence establishments in the vicinity, which significantly limit the scope for large-scale road expansion,” resident Rajesh Nimhan said.Vishal Doke, a resident of Sus Road, said the road abruptly narrowed near Pashan Circle. “With govt and defence establishments on both sides, the administration must address road widening in the Pashan area to ease commuter congestion,” he said.Vinay Joshi, a frequent commuter, said the entire gaothan road should be widened or a parallel alternative route developed. “People cannot afford to waste time in traffic jams due to an inadequate road network,” he added.
