Pune VIDEO: Commuters Call For Balewadi Transit Hub Amid Long Waits & Unsafe Bus Stops

Every evening, thousands of commuters, many of them IT professionals, are left standing in long queues at the Hinjawadi flyover and Wakad, waiting for intercity buses. With no proper transit facility in place, passengers are forced to wait on the side of busy highways, braving traffic, dust and unpredictable weather.

Commuters and civic activists say this daily struggle could be avoided with the creation of a transit hub at Balewadi, offering both highway and metro connectivity. Such a facility, they argue, would not only make intercity travel safer and more convenient but also ease traffic chaos on the highways.

Pavanjit Mane, a resident, said, "Currently, employees and residents stand on highways for hours to catch buses for their hometown. This is dangerous, plus these unauthorised stops cause huge traffic hotspots on highways. Having a transit hub at Balewadi will resolve all these issues. Additionally, the current PMPML depot at Balewadi has enough space for it to be connected via metro. This will help commuters travelling to Mumbai, Satara, Sangli and Kolhapur to have a safe and assured journey. It will serve the public transport needs of the fast-growing western area of Pune like Hinjawadi, Mahalunge, Balewadi, Wakad, etc."

A few citizens took this matter to social media, highlighting the plight of the commuters.

One user wrote, "A transit hub at Balewadi was already proposed a few years ago. The site is proposed opposite the Balewadi Sports Complex, where PMPML currently operates a bus depot/parking lot. Wondering why it has not been developed yet??"

Another user wrote, "Had a close shave with one car when taking a reverse turn picking one of these commuters. I thought of your post asking for a transit hub long back when I saw many people standing here today before the long weekend. A transit hub is the need of the hour."

Sujit Chavan, resident of Hinjewadi Phase 3, said, "At Bhumkar Chowk and Wakad Bridge, people wait to travel to Mumbai or Kolhapur, and it gets very crowded, especially on weekends. This creates a bottleneck and leads to traffic issues. We need a proper transit hub where cabs and buses can halt so passengers can board easily. Right now, people stop on the highway itself, and that blocks the traffic."

"Every day, hundreds of commuters gather at Wakad Chowk to board intercity buses to destinations like Satara, Kolhapur and beyond. Due to the absence of a proper transit hub, these buses are forced to halt on the highway, creating dangerous situations for passengers and causing major traffic disruptions. The western part of Pune, especially areas like Baner, Balewadi, Wakad and Hinjawadi, has seen rapid population growth driven by employment opportunities, particularly in the IT sector. It's high time the government intervenes and allocates dedicated space for a well-planned intercity transit hub. This facility should be designed to ensure commuter safety and efficient traffic flow without putting additional strain on local internal roads,” said Ameya Jagtap, Baner-Balewadi Nagrik Manch.

Meanwhile, speaking to the Free Press Journal, Pankaj Deore, chairman and managing director (CMD), PMPML, said, "Two weeks ago, the officials and Pune divisional commissioner visited the spot, and we also sent them a detailed report highlighting severe traffic congestion in Hinjawadi and proposed the construction of transit hubs at Wakad and Balewadi. The hubs would streamline intercity travel to Mumbai and Western Maharashtra while making commuting more comfortable for passengers. Also, 10 acres of land space for the sports complex can be used for constructing these hubs."