E-Paper
Cycling race road closures paralyse Pune city traffic
With stretches barricaded from 10am onwards, vehicular movement on several arterial roads was halted, bringing the city to a near standstill for most of the day
Large parts of the city witnessed severe traffic congestion on Friday as major roads were closed for the final stage of the Pune Grand Tour cycling race. With stretches barricaded from 10am onwards, vehicular movement on several arterial roads was halted, bringing the city to a near standstill for most of the day.
Key paths, including Shivaji Road, Bajirao Road, Tilak Road, Jungli Maharaj (JM) Road, Fergusson College Road, and several internal lanes around Shaniwarwada and Pune Railway Station were closed by the police department to facilitate the international cycling event. As a result, traffic was diverted to alternative routes, leading to long jams and congestion across other parts of the city.
Commuters reported delays running into hours, with many struggling to reach workplaces, hospitals, railway stations and schools. Public transport services were also affected, while emergency movement became difficult in several congested pockets.
“Roads near Sahakarnagar area were jammed. A normal 30-minute commute took me more than 2 hours. There was no clear information about diversions,” said Shalaka Karnik, a working professional. Residents in the eastern part of the city faced similar issues. “Around Yerawada and Bund Garden Road, traffic was crawling since morning. We understand the importance of such events, but better planning and communication were needed,” said another citizen Anshul Chaudhary.
While the Pune Grand Tour concluded successfully amid grand celebrations, the extensive road closures and lack of adequate traffic management left many citizens frustrated, sparking calls for improved coordination during large-scale events in the future.
