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DCP Navtake takes over Pune traffic dept headed by DCP Shrirame
Pune police commissioner Amitabh Gupta orders DCP (EOW) Bhagyashree Navtake to take over the traffic branch even as DCP (traffic) Rahul Shrirame continues to be in position
Pune Police Commissioner Amitabh Gupta has ordered Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) for Economic Offences Wing and Cyber Cell Bhagyashree Navtake to take over the traffic branch even as the DCP (traffic) Rahul Shrirame continues to be in position.
In an order issued on Friday, Gupta ordered Shrirame “to submit a report to Navtake regarding traffic work and duties from time to time”.
The latest order coming against the backdrop of worsening traffic situation in Pune amid various areas witnessing chaos on regular basis, is aimed at clipping the wings of the Shrirame and traffic department and also putting in place an oversight mechanism to monitor the wrongdoings of the traffic department and also boost its daily performance and efficiency.
Both Amitabh Gupta and Rahul Shrirame did not respond to calls and message.
Navtake said, “I will be on ground monitoring the traffic situation across the city for the next fifteen days and will be getting the daily reports from the traffic department. My endeavour would be to ensure that there are no traffic jams and citizens benefit from decongestion of traffic hotspots. We welcome feedback from citizens based on which action will be taken.”
The city traffic branch of Pune police is under the control of DCP (traffic) and directly supervised by Joint Commissioner (Law and Order). However since past few days, it has been at the receiving end of the citizens, commuters and several government functionaries nonetheless chief minister Eknath Shinde and District Guardian Minister Chandrakant Patil.
CM Eknath Shinde had hauled up District Collector Rajesh Deshmukh and PMC Commissioner Vikram Kumar after he got stranded in traffic at Chandani Chowk. Later District guardian minister Chandrakant Patil ordered the traffic police to stop issuing challans to citizens and instead focus on educating the citizens on traffic rules.
In June, Joint CP (law and order) Sandeep Karnik had ordered DCP (Special Branch) to probe complaints related to citizens being extorted by traffic policemen. The social media was rife with serious allegations of corruption and coercive penal action against traffic police which forced the joint commissioner to probe various acts of misdemeanor of the traffic police. Till date, the findings of the report have not been made public. Later, Pune Police Commissioner Gupta stopped challaning of the citizens and ordered that only traffic law related awareness be carried out by the policemen.
In August, the traffic branch came under heavy criticism from citizens as traffic policemen were found absent from all important chowks and showing disobedience and disregard to the top police authorities. Similarly, heavy vehicles despite being banned were found to be entering the city which has led to long traffic jams in Pune.
Pune Police Commissioner Amitabh Gupta on Oct 20 stated that it was the government’s responsibility for managing traffic problems in the city and it will not be ignored. He added that it has been forgotten that traffic is also a part of the urban planning of the city. According to Gupta, despite narrow roads, potholes, water, metro, BRT, and under construction flyover works, only one-third of the road was usable.
