Fed up with the daily ordeal of tackling traffic congestion on Chakan Road, industrialists and locals have planned a protest march from Chakan to the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) office in Akurdi on Thursday, October 9.
The protest will be staged under the name ‘Traffic Free Chakan Kruti Samiti’, which will push for immediate redressal of traffic congestion in Chakan and will seek government intervention for a long-term solution.
Despite multiple attempts to approach the political leaders and concerned officials, the issue still persists and needs urgent attention, as it has affected the movement of the locals and the industrial workforce alike.
“The residents and industrialists are really frustrated now, and this protest will be large, and many people will participate and get on the streets,” said Kunal Kad, a member of the Kruti Samiti said to the Times of India.
“While the government has proposed several plans, deadlines are rarely met, and project timelines are repeatedly extended. Our protest is not limited to one road or highway; every route in and around Chakan is choked. After Ajit Pawar’s visit, anti-encroachment drives were launched, but without starting roadwork immediately, the situation soon returned to what it was,” added Kad.
The traffic congestion has adversely affected the Chakan industrial hub’s growth and development, as heavy traffic often takes over two hours to cover just a 10-km stretch.
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar visited Chakan in September, where he acknowledged Chakan's increasing traffic congestion problems, saying land needs to be acquired.
“The increasing number of vehicles in Chakan is causing the roads to feel narrow. As a result, the government is regrettably forced to acquire land from farmers to widen these roads. If government land had been available, this situation would not have arisen. The trucks and containers are large. Encroachments in Chakan have been removed. Once the rain stops, road work will resume,” Pawar said.
