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Market Yard residents call for stricter enforcement following collapse of height barrier
Height barrier installed near Aai Mata Mandir on Shatrunjay Road to enforce ban on heavy vehicles was knocked down by rule-violating truck on Friday
PUNE: The problem of heavy concrete mixers and trucks entering the no-entry zone near Aai Mata Mandir on Shatrunjay Road came to a head on Friday when a height barrier installed to enforce the ban was knocked down by a rule-violating truck, leading to fresh outrage and calls for strict enforcement. The stretch near the temple is strictly marked a ‘no heavy vehicle’ zone to protect pedestrians, devotees and scores of families living in this congested residential area. However, the ban is frequently flouted putting lives at risk, locals said.
Rajesh Kulkarni, who owns a shop near Ganga Dham, said, “We have repeatedly told the authorities that this road is not meant for dumpers and concrete mixers. Notwithstanding, these vehicles enter day after day with impunity. Today, the barrier stands broken. Tomorrow, someone could be killed…”
Another resident, Meera Changede, said, “We see mixers and dumpers every day, even though the signboards clearly forbid them. If this continues, someone will be killed or seriously injured. We want regular police checks at every entry point.”
Sunil Patil, a resident of a nearby housing colony, said, “We are not against development. But rules exist for a reason. If heavy vehicles cannot be kept off such roads, then the police should at least ensure that they enter only at night when fewer people are around.”
In the recent past, the traffic police have restricted heavy vehicle movement in areas designated as ‘red zones’. Along several stretches, the traffic police have even registered cases under the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) against those flouting traffic norms.
Police commissioner Manoj Patil said that the violation in the Ganga Dham area will be treated with the same urgency as other no‑entry zones in the city. “We recognise the seriousness of repeated violations by heavy vehicles in residential and sensitive zones. Height barriers and signage are only part of enforcement. We will deploy permanent traffic posts and patrolling units, and use CCTV‑based detection to clamp down on violators,” Patil said.
Deputy commissioner of police (traffic) Himmat Jadhav said that the traffic department is revamping its enforcement strategy. “Height barriers have been installed at multiple restricted points across Pune. We are aware of the incident where one such barrier was struck at Ganga Dham. We will install reinforced barriers and schedule constant police presence at critical entry points. Violators will be booked under appropriate sections, and repeat offenders will face strict action,” Jadhav said.
A traffic police official deployed in the area said that while height barriers help, human monitoring and regular fines are essential. In recent months, the police have initiated hundreds of FIRs against heavy vehicles violating entry restrictions at key intersections across the city to improve compliance.
So much so that civic activists have even called for digital tracking of heavy vehicles entering no‑entry zones, and public dashboards showing enforcement actions taken; something they believe will deter rule‑breaking.
Atul Jain, member of the Kondhwa Development Forum, who has been spearheading the drive for road safety and prevention of fatalities in the Market Yard area, said, “With municipal polls approaching, residents have said that enforcement will be a key election issue, demanding clear accountability from the traffic police, local police station, and municipal authorities for ensuring that public safety is not sacrificed at the altar of unregulated construction/transport. Further action by the police, including detailed monitoring and stricter penalisation of violators, is expected in the coming days.”
