Commuters face bus stop hurdle on dismantled Ahmednagar Road BRTS stretch
The Pune Municipal Corporation has removed the Ahmednagar Road BRTS stretch to ease traffic, but three empty bus stops in the middle of the stretch remain, causing congestion and safety risks. The civic body has been instructed to remove the bus stops. The BRTS route, which was started in 2016, remained non-operational for over three years due to Maha-Metro works.
Though the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has dismantled the Ahmednagar Road Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) stretch from Yerawada to Vimannagar Chowk (Phoenix Mall) to facilitate smooth traffic, three empty bus stops at the middle of the stretch fail to serve the purpose.
The BRTS bus stops are located near Yerawada, Shastrinagar traffic signal and Ramwadi.
Mauli Pawar of Wadgaonsheri said, “The civic body took a right decision to do away with the BRT system, but not removing the bus stops is creating traffic issues and poses accident risk at night.”
“PMC should clear the stretch of bus stops as it is eating into road space, especially near Shastrinagar signal that sees traffic congestion during peak hours. Ramwadi and Yerawada BRTS bus stops are not creating any problem so far,” said Prashant Kulkarni of Ramwadi area.
Sharad Dharav, executive engineer, PMC Road Department, said, “We have been instructed to remove BRTS bus stops on Ahmednagar Road.”
The civic administration had removed around 3.50 km of BRTS road from Yerawada to Vimannagar Chowk (Phoenix Mall) on the Ahmednagar-Pune Highway to ease traffic problems in December 2023. The bus service on the stretch was not in operation due to Pune Metro works.
Meanwhile, Wadgaonsheri MLA and civic activists demanded dismantling of the BRTS. PMC appointed the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics to study traffic on the stretch. The institute submitted a report suggesting removal of BRT stretch, closed due to metro work from Yerawada Parnakuti Chowki to Phoenix Mall in Vimannagar.
The decision was taken based on reports of frequent accidents, traffic police instructions, inputs from local representatives, organisations, and demands of citizens.
The 8-km-long BRTS route on Yerawada (Parnakuti Chowk) Aple Ghar (old PMC limits) was started in 2016. About 3.5-km-long stretch (Parnakuti Chowk to Vimannagar Chowk) remained non-operational for Maha-Metro works for over three years.