Traffic jam forces Nitin Gadkari to cancel visit to proposed traffic decongestion project

Convoy of Union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari faced traffic jam in area where he was slated to inspect proposed underground corridor project on Monday

PUNE: Union minister for road transport and highways, Nitin Gadkari, was forced to cancel a scheduled inspection of a major traffic decongestion project in central Pune after facing the very same problem the project aims to solve. The minister’s convoy was caught in a severe traffic jam in the same area where he was slated to inspect the proposed underground corridor project at around 11.30 am on Monday.

Traffic jam as commuters wait to allow the convoy of Union minister Nitin Gadkari to pass through in Pune on Monday. (HT)

Gadkari was scheduled to arrive at the Shaniwar Wada site at 10.30 am on Monday to assess the location of the proposed four-lane underground corridor from Shaniwar Wada to Swargate and from Saras Baug to Shaniwar Wada. However, his flight landed late at Pune Airport causing a delay in his schedule. But by that time, political workers and local officials had already gathered at the site and heavy rain further compounded the traffic congestion in the area. The roads were already witnessing slow-moving traffic due to the morning rush hour and the combination of rain and the crowd buildup further slackened movement to a crawl.

Also to facilitate the union minister’s visit, the traffic police had temporarily halted traffic moving from the rear of Shaniwar Wada towards the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) building and from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Bridge towards Shaniwar Wada. This led to further bottlenecks in an already choked city centre. So much so that by the time Gadkari’s convoy reached the Shaniwar Wada site at around 11.25 am, the traffic had ground to a halt almost. “It was a Monday, that too office hours when traffic is at its peak and handling a huge convoy of a union minister is not easy. This led to traffic congestion at Bajirao Road and around Shaniwar Wada despite there being an adequate number of traffic police,” said a traffic policeman on condition of anonymity.

Upon arriving at the Shaniwar Wada site, the minister paid floral tributes to Bharatiya Jan Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee. He then got into his vehicle to head towards Swargate for the project inspection, accompanied by local MLA Hemant Rasane. However, there were serpentine queues of vehicles in all directions with the honking of frustrated motorists only adding to the chaos. The traffic police informed the minister that the road ahead was severely jammed. Following this, Gadkari decided to abort the inspection and asked his driver to turn the vehicle around while Rasane stepped out of the vehicle midway.

Speaking to the media later, MLA Rasane confirmed that the inspection visit was cancelled due to the traffic situation. “Gadkari has assured us that he will return for the inspection at a later date,” Rasane said.

Ravindra Karnik, who stays near Shaniwar Wada, said, “This just shows how bad the traffic has become in central Pune. When even a union minister cannot reach the inspection site because of congestion, imagine what we regular citizens go through every day. We hope this project is not just announced but actually completed soon.”

Gadkari inaugurates India’s first tunnelling centre at MIT-WPU

Union minister for road transport and highways, Nitin Gadkari, inaugurated the International Workshop on ‘Sustainable Tunnelling for Better Life’ at MIT World Peace University (MIT-WPU), marking a significant move toward sustainable infrastructure. Organised in collaboration with ITA-CET, the two-day event attracted experts from India, Europe, United Kingdom and United States of America. A key highlight was the launch of the Centre of Excellence for Tunnelling and Underground Construction, India’s first such facility, developed in partnership with Tata Projects Ltd. and Sandvik. The centre features advanced tunnel monitoring and drilling and blasting laboratories to promote research and training. “The importance of tunnelling in India’s infrastructure plans is growing, with upcoming projects valued at ₹2.5 to ₹3 lakh crore. The cost-effective technologies, sustainable fuels, and increased research and training is the need of the hour,” said Gadkari. International expert Arnold Dix and MIT-WPU founder Dr Vishwanath Karad also addressed the gathering, underscoring the global relevance and deeper societal impact of the initiative.