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Inadequate signage confuses commuters at Chandani Chowk
Commuters complain about incomplete infrastructure work on the recently inaugurated flyover at Chandani Chowk, with inadequate signboards causing confusion.
Even as an interchange and flyover at busy Chandani Chowk was inaugurated recently, commuters complained that the bridge was made operational despite some incomplete infrastructure work.
After six years when construction began, flyover at Chandani Chowk was inaugurated by Union minister Nitin Gadkari and deputy chief ministers Devendra Fadnavis, and Ajit Pawar on August 12.
There is a limited number of sign boards showing directions to travellers, often leaving the commuters confused. Also, the signboards put out have to be bigger and bold in size, so drivers can identify them, said commuters.
On Wednesday, a team from HT visited Chandani Chowk and found that minor and moderate works of service roads, and beautification works are unfinished and currently underway. Interestingly the bridge was closed for a between 8am-9am on Wednesday.
Tejas Bothe, a resident of Katraj, who passed through the stretch to reach Kothrud, said, “The signboards are inadequate and smaller in size. I drove straight towards Pashan and then brought my car into reverse realising that I had to turn left.”
Another daily commuter Vaishnavi Mehendale said, “I stay nearby Chandani Chowk and I daily commute from Bavdhan towards Mulshi for work, since the inauguration the bridge has been kept closed several times for maintenance. The inauguration was done in a hurry and also several other works still underway in the area.”
Bhooshan Shukla, another commuter, tweeted, “It has been four days since the inauguration of Chandani Chowk flyover project by Nitin Gadkari. Just to let you know - it is closed for traffic (Bavdhan to Bhugao part) at 8 am on August 16, 2023.” (sic)
Sanjay Kadam, director, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Pune project, said, “The newly inaugurated bridge is open for the public but for some infrastructure work it might be closed for some time.”
As the area faced traffic problems on a daily basis, in August last year, Gadkari visited Chandani Chowk while the work of beautifying the space for traffic along with the public flyover was still underway. However, the work could not be completed on time.
Also, chief minister Eknath Shinde visited the flyover at the end of August last year and directed that the old bridge be demolished to avoid traffic congestion. Accordingly, the old bridge was demolished using explosives on October 2, 2022, to facilitate the smooth flow of traffic. After multiple missed deadlines the flyover was inaugurated on August 12.
