Broken traffic signal was lying unattended for two weeks, residents say

The residents of boat club road have been facing a harrowing time, in crossing the main road where the Metro work has been going on for months

The residents of boat club road have been facing a harrowing time, in crossing the main road where the Metro work has been going on for months. Many of the footpaths have been encroached upon on both sides of the road, while for the past two weeks, a knocked down traffic signal and a lamp post at the crossroads of Monish petrol pump, and Connaught place has made it impossible for residents to use the footpath.

HT Image

After several complaints to the local municipal authorities by residents the lamp post and the signal were removed on Thursday evening.

A team of HT photographers confirmed the removal during a visit to the spot.

Shenaz Setna who lives in the housing society behind the boat club main road often walks to the nearby shops for her daily groceries but for the past two weeks, this lamp post and knocked down traffic signal had become a major hurdle and has forced her to walk along the road, with oncoming traffic.

“I usually walk towards Ganapati mandir chowk but now it has become a mess for there is no space left on the footpath with this huge traffic signal knocked down laying diagonally across the footpath, forcing me to walk on the road. With Metro work ongoing in the centre, it has already caused a lot of chaos and left no space for us to cross the road, this has now added to our woes,” said Setna.

Speaking to DCP traffic Rahul Shrirame said, “The traffic signal maintenance and clearing of broken poles is with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and they have been informed of the fallen traffic signal pole and they are yet to take action. We will inform them once again about clearing it at the earliest.”

Another resident, A Mukherjee, living near Gera Park also added that there is no median left for residents to cross the road at main road.

“We have been writing to the authorities about the problems like locked thelas and shops still blocking the footpaths leaving us senior citizens no choice but to walk on the road. We even saw a maid getting hit by speeding car last week and yet no one from the officials is coming to help clear the footpaths,” he said.