A tragic accident on Monday morning has once again cast a harsh spotlight on the perilous state of Pune's Katraj-Kondhwa Road. Despite repeated assurances from the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) about improvements, the stretch claimed another life when a 35-year-old teacher, driving on the wrong side, died after her scooter skidded and she was crushed under the wheels of a truck.
Persistent Peril on a Promised Corridor
The fatal incident underscores the daily dangers faced by commuters on this key thoroughfare. While civic officials maintain that road widening and other infrastructure upgrades are a priority, residents and daily users argue that the half-finished work only exacerbates chaos and risk. The administration has classified the road under the 'missing link project' to fast-track long-pending works, but progress remains painfully slow on the ground.
Commuters point to a desperate culture of rule-breaking born out of frustration. "Though it is not right, many vehicle owners prefer to drive on the wrong side to avoid getting stuck in traffic, which increases the probability of accidents," explained one regular user. This sentiment was echoed by Katraj resident Rucha Joshi, who criticized the administration's "tall claims" and urged for the earliest completion of roadworks to prevent such vulnerable behavior.
Official Claims and Ground Realities
The issue gained high-level attention on the same day as the accident. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who was in Kondhwa to unveil a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, stated that authorities were taking multiple steps to alleviate traffic problems in the vicinity. He promised that works on the Katraj-Kondhwa road would be accelerated and mentioned future metro connectivity for the area.
However, the ground situation tells a different story. The traffic snarls have become a daily ordeal from Wanowrie police station to Raheja Garden Society road, with the movement of heavy vehicles compounding the problem. The road's influence stretches from Rajas Society to Khadi Machine Chowk and into the newly-merged Pisoli areas. PMC has already spent approximately Rs 48 crore from public funds on this road, yet a lasting solution seems elusive.
The Road Ahead: Acquisition and Alternatives
In response to the crisis, PMC officials detail efforts to break the logjam. Aniruddha Pawaskar, head of PMC's road department, revealed that special teams have been formed to expedite land acquisition—a major hurdle. Landowners are being urged to provide land through compensation mechanisms like Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) or Floor Space Index (FSI).
"Many property owners are cooperating, which is helping us speed up the works," Pawaskar said. As a longer-term measure, the civic body is also working on the construction of a parallel road to this artery to reduce congestion. For now, commuters like Priyank Sharma continue to suffer, citing problems like encroachment that have further aggravated the situation, and pleading for the promised widening to become a reality.
