VIDEOS: 6km Traffic Jam on Sinhagad Road, MNS Threatens To Open Flyover Themselves If Delayed Further

Monday morning turned into a nightmare for Punekars traveling on Sinhagad Road as traffic snarls, reminiscent of Mumbai's worst jams, left commuters stranded for hours. With congestion stretching up to 6 kilometers, residents faced a frustrating start to the week, caught in a web of honking vehicles and delays.

As a result, Punekars had to endure great heartache on the first day of the week, as traffic congestion on Sinhagad Road stretched for 6 kilometers and lasted for a grueling four hours.

Due to the closure of a section of Rajaram Bridge going to Kothrud and Karvenagar for repairs, there was a huge traffic jam on Sinhagad Road. Traffic junctions were seen on the canal road and the main Sinhagad Road. A large number of vehicles were seen stuck.

To solve this problem, a demand has been made to start the second phase of the Fun Timkade flyover soon. Many claimed that the work on the flyover is completed, but the Pune Municipal Corporation is waiting for the date and time to be provided by the Chief Minister's office for the inauguration.

When the matter comes up, MNS has hinted at an agitation.

Although the construction of the flyover was finished by the end of March, the installation of streetlights and signage is still in progress. The delay in organizing a formal inauguration has sparked criticism from residents, who claim that political factors are hindering the completion of this much-needed infrastructure. Several commuters from these areas, who use Sinhagad Road for their daily commute, took to social media to express their dissatisfaction over the delayed opening of the flyover.

Residents speak up

Rahul Kamble, an auto driver, said, "The flyover is ready to be used and still they are not opening it for public use. The people are suffering in the scorching heat due to traffic congestion near the flyover. I don't understand what they are waiting for. Some people say there is some work left, but I don't understand why they don't complete the work and open it for the public as people are already suffering so much. During peak hours, the situation is even worse. Once the flyover is opened to all, it will ease the traffic flow and people won't suffer."

Shravan Nalgilkar, a resident of Dhyari, said, "The authorities only care about the inauguration, and they tend to ignore the hardships of the commuters. During the peak hours, especially in the morning from 10 to 11:30, the traffic near the Sinhagad flyover is crazy, and the heat is too much. The people on two-wheelers face another level of hardship as the traffic doesn't move, and the worst is that the heat makes it even more difficult to deal with it."

Rohini Deshmukh, another resident, said, "I get late to work because of the traffic. The Sinhagad flyover would ease the traffic, but there seems to be a delay in opening the flyover for the commuters to use. I don't know what they are waiting for. The authorities should understand that it is causing much trouble for daily commuters. This flyover has been ready for the past two years and still isn’t opened for us to use. People are suffering so much on a daily basis. I urge the government and the authorities to open it soon for public use."

However, while speaking with the Free Press Journal, Yuvraj Deshmukh, head of PMC's projects department, told FPJ, "The inauguration of the flyover is delayed a bit because the finishing work is still pending. The preparations for the inauguration are underway. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will be invited to cut the ribbon. The date has not yet been decided. The remaining work includes the erection of the span/girder and painting."

MNS' warns of protest

The Fun Time flyover on Sinhagad Road from Vitthalwadi is likely to be opened in the next seven days. If not, the MNS delegation has sent a letter to the Municipal Corporation, warning that they will open the flyover on their own through an MNS-style agitation.

Since the Fun Time Theater flyover between Vitthalwadi is not open, there is a huge traffic jam. Even on weekends, being a government holiday, there would have been congestion at Vitthalwadi throughout the afternoon. Also, it takes 15 to 20 minutes to reach the area during the evening hours. Hence, the question raised by the citizens is, when will the flyover be open?

Recently, NCP-SP MP Supriya Sule took to X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday and urged the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to open the flyover without waiting for a formal ceremony.

Following this, PMC chief Rajendra Bhosale reviewed the progress of the work.