PUNE: The traffic police’s suspension of challans and towing operations has coincided with rising road rule violations, worsening congestion and longer commute times across several key roads in the city, with commuters reporting inadequate management of vehicular movements at most junctions.Over the past two days, motorists have been seen parking vehicles indiscriminately on roads, riding triple-seat on two-wheelers, driving on the wrong side and violating one-way and no-entry restrictions. Arterial roads, such as JM Road, FC Road, Satara Road, Sinhagad Road, Alandi Road, and stretches in the old city have witnessed regular traffic jams.
Enforcemet pauses, gridlock rises
The situation has been compounded by the absence of traffic personnel at several junctions where they are expected to regulate vehicular movement. At some locations, citizens have stepped in to manage traffic amid growing congestion.Deputy commissioner of police (Traffic) Sandip Bhajibhakare attributed the congestion to multiple factors. “Vehicular movement on Satara Road, Karve Road, JM Road and other arterial roads has been disrupted for various reasons over the past few days. Movement of heavy vehicles in Market Yard, the old parts of the city and on Ganeshkhind Road has increased because of the festival market and infrastructure projects, disrupting traffic.”Responding to concerns about the “lack of traffic personnel” on roads, Bhajibhakare said, “Traffic police constables are managing vehicular movement at important chowks. We will soon enhance their presence on other roads.”The police officer also confirmed that challan machines used by traffic personnel were withdrawn around two months ago. “The challan machines were taken away about two months ago following the detection of certain irregularities in the functioning of traffic police personnel.”Bhajibhakare said, “We have also suspended the use of towing vans. We cannot pick up vehicles parked in no-parking areas and also haphazardly parked vehicles, which generally block the traffic flow.”According to traffic police sources, field personnel are currently relying on technology-based enforcement measures instead of direct action against violators.An officer with the city traffic police told TOI, “The challan machines have been taken away. We are not permitted to take action against traffic rule violators through the usual process and have been directed to take action using CCTV cameras and the Pune traffic police app. However, this online action does not deter motorists.”Commuters across the city say the impact is evident in their daily travel times. Sunil Pandit of Satara Road told TOI, “There are continuous traffic jams on Satara Road and at other junctions in the city. Earlier, I used to take 15 to 20 minutes to reach office from home, but due to the continuous traffic jams, the same journey now takes around 30 minutes.”Sagar More of Sinhagad Road said, “There are continuous traffic jams in the city, and I hardly find any traffic constables managing traffic at junctions or on the roads.”
