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Pune NCP corporator wants Hadapsar-Swargate BRTS project scrapped
Ironically, this is the same stretch which was started as a pilot project by the NCP-Congress in 2006 when they were in power
A Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) corporator, Yogesh Sasane, who is opposing the Hadapsar-Swargate Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) stretch, claims a 500 metre stretch of the beams on BRTS along Solapur highway was removed on November 26 and a portion near State Reserve Police Force gate was removed on December 11. Sasane is a local corporator from Sasanenagar who has been raising concerns about the inconvenience which the Hadapsar-Swargate BRTS is causing to the commuters and is in favour of scrapping the project.
Sasane claims both were removed with the help of traffic police and Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).
Ironically, this is the same stretch which was started as a pilot project by the NCP-Congress in 2006 when they were in power.
Sasane said, “Pilot projects can go wrong even if it was started by us if it is causing inconvenience to commuters then it has to be removed. BRTS can work efficiently only when the road is equally wide along the stretch and has to be at least 60 feet in width. The dedicated BRTS does not work in this stretch due to the heavy traffic and it is anyways being used by other vehicles than buses and the beams only add to the traffic congestion.”
Aniruddha Pawaskar, chief of the road department, said, “On November 26 we removed the beams because it was causing inconvenience to the buses passing on the route. I do not know about the second incident, I will have to inquire about it.”
“The BRTS was brought in to empower public transport. We will shortly float tenders to widen the Solapur highway road along the Hadapsar-Swargate stretch which will have footpaths and cycle tracks,” he added.
The ruling party feels that removing the beams is not a solution to the problem. Ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) group leader Dheeraj Ghate, said, “The BRTS was started by the NCP-Congress while they were in power in 2006. Whatever problems are there need to be resolved after talking to the administration and by finding a solution for the same? Removing the beams which are erected by public money is not the solution.”
