Ajit Pawar directs urgent action to ease traffic snarls around Hinjewadi IT park

He also stressed speeding up ongoing Metro construction work and completing road development projects in consultation with local elected representatives and residents

Deputy chief minister and Pune district guardian minister Ajit Pawar on Saturday instructed officials to implement immediate and long-term measures to ease traffic congestion in and around Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park in Hinjewadi, including areas like Maan, Mahalunge, and Sus. He also stressed speeding up ongoing Metro construction work and completing road development projects in consultation with local elected representatives and residents.

Deputy chief minister and Pune district guardian minister Ajit Pawar on Saturday instructed officials to implement immediate and long-term measures to ease traffic congestion in and around Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park in Hinjewadi (HT)

Pawar issued these directions during a review meeting held at the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) office in Akurdi. The meeting was attended by assembly deputy speaker Anna Bansode, MLA Shankar Mandekar, divisional commissioner Dr Chandrakant Pulkundwar, Pimpri-Chinchwad police commissioner Vinaykumar Choubey, PMRDA commissioner Yogesh Mhase, additional commissioner Deepak Singla, PMC commissioner Naval Kishore Ram, PCMC commissioner Shekhar Singh, District collector Jitendra Dudi, ACP Sarang Awad, ZP CEO Gajanan Patil, MIDC additional CEO Vijay Rathod, chief engineer of PWD Atul Chavan, and NHAI director Sanjay Kadam, among others.

Pawar said, “Road widening is necessary to address growing traffic issues in the area and called for the speedy completion of land acquisition and removal of encroachments. There is a need to immediately fill potholes, clear debris along natural water channels, and act against those obstructing development works.” He added that coordination between agencies is essential to provide basic civic amenities to residents.

Pawar further directed that underpasses and roadsides must be kept clear of parked vehicles, and traffic movement of heavy and oversized vehicles must be regulated. He appealed to citizens to cooperate with the administration in the execution of traffic-related measures.

Citing rapid urbanisation, Pawar said urban planning must include roads, water supply, sewage treatment, hospitals, schools, solid waste management, and pollution control. He also assured farmers affected by the closure of the Kasarsai canal that the markings on their land records (7/12 extracts) would be revised, and he would hold discussions with ministers and secretaries at the Mantralaya to ensure a positive resolution.

He emphasised that with Pune’s population and transport needs growing, there was a need to scale up infrastructure development, particularly in industrial hubs like Hinjewadi. He appreciated PMRDA’s efforts in removing large-scale encroachments in the area and directed other departments to take similar action to resolve congestion.

Site inspections before meeting

Before the meeting, Pawar visited several development sites in Hinjewadi and surrounding areas, including Pune Metro Line 3 (Station No. 6), Croma to Laxmi Chowk, Shinde Vasti to Marunji Road, and the Wipro Circle Phase 2 stretch. He reviewed progress on traffic decongestion plans and ongoing infrastructure work, and took updates from concerned officials.

During the meeting, MLA Mandekar suggested specific measures to reduce traffic woes. PMRDA Commissioner Dr Mhase presented a follow-up report on action taken after a July 13 meeting. He also gave a presentation on planned road networks in the IT Park, water reservation for PMRDA areas, pollution control measures for Indrayani and Pavana rivers, and sewage treatment projects for villages under PMRDA jurisdiction.