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Docs, ambulance services affected due to Pune metro work
Traffic chaos due to on-going work increases our commute time: experts
Traffic congestion caused due to on-going metro work is affecting our service and we are reaching our destination late, allege medical staff of various city-based hospitals and officials of ambulance services.
Dr Milind Hatekar, senior veterinary surgeon, Pet Aid hospital, along with other doctors have raised the issue with Ajay Kumar, chief project manager, Pune Metro.
He said, “The Nal Stop area of Kothrud where the metro work is underway has been halted for over a month now. Without any progress, Pune Metro officials cannot continue to place the barricades there as it is severely affecting the traffic. We are reaching late to hospital and this is affecting our patients who keep waiting for us.”
“We have taken up the issue with the chief project manager (CPM) of the Pune Metro who has agreed to our pleas and promised to solve the issue as early as possible,” said Hatekar.
Naresh Dave, chief general manager, Poona Hospital and Research Centre, said, “The on-going metro work is causing a delay of more than half-an-hour daily to reach the hospital.”
“Not only me, but the hospital staff here reaches late because there are no clear guidelines from the traffic officials about the rules and routes. Most of the staffers at the hospital take the Nal Stop route and Kothrud where they have to take a turn from Sahyadri hospital. There is an extreme traffic jam on this route,” said Dave.
“During emergencies many times we have experienced delays, because of the traffic congestion caused due to the metro work. The officials should look into the issue,” said Dave.
Balasaheb Hingane, president, Pune Ambulance Association, said, “On Monday (July 29) we were carrying a road traffic accident victim from Sassoon Hospital to a hospital on Ahmednagar road. The patient was critical and was on intravenous therapy (IV).”
“Usually it takes 20 minutes to reach Wagholi, but it took us three hours due to traffic caused by on-going metro work. The patient’s life was at stake,” said Hingane.
“The metro department must look into the matter and solve the issue as soon as possible,” he added.
Kumar, who promised to look into the issue, said, “Many people have complained to us about the traffic congestion caused to metro work. On Tuesday we had held a meeting with the deputy commissioner of police (DCP) traffic zone and explained to him about creating diversions so that patients are not affected.”
“Besides this, there are complaints of waterlogging in four areas namely Nal stop, Gujarat society, Bund Garden and Ahmednagar road. We have instructed Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to clear the waterlogging in the area so that the commuters are not affected.”
