E-Paper
Divider on Kalas-Alandi Road near HP petrol pump causing accidents
Despite frequent mishaps, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and traffic police have failed to take preventive action
PUNE: A low divider bang in the middle of Kalas-Alandi Road near Hindustan Petroleum (HP) petrol pump has become a cause for concern, what with vehicles ramming into it every other day due to poor visibility, especially at night and during the rain. Barely four or five days ago, a four-wheeler almost climbed onto the divider as the driver did not see it and a woman and two children were seriously injured. Recently, two people lost their lives in an accident on this stretch whereas Pune traffic police data shows that there have been over 25 accidents at this spot last month.
Despite frequent mishaps, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and traffic police have failed to take preventive action. So much so that locals are now demanding that the PMC raise the height of this divider or remove it completely.
Santosh Kamble, a resident, said, “There is huge traffic on this road with passengers going to Kalas, Dighi and Alandi. Devotees headed to Alandi and small businessmen headed to Bhosari travel in large numbers on this road. There is need to remove or repair the divider on this road.”
Vinod Pawar, a local resident and secretary of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) city wing, said, “Every two or three days, I get a call from this area about some accident or the other due to the divider. Is the administration waiting for some more deaths to take place? Dividers should be removed as soon as possible otherwise we will have to take up this issue and protest.”
PMC executive engineer of the road department said on condition of anonymity, “Currently, monsoon works such as road repairs etc. are underway. Still, we will check the spot and get the divider repaired.”
