BRTS Removal Begins on Pune's Nagar Road to Tackle Traffic Woes

Pune: The group assigned to look into the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) on Nagar Road, Pune, recommended its removal, so the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has started removing the BRTS section and making the road wider to reduce traffic congestion.

The PMC hired the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics to examine the BRTS on Nagar Road because some local residents and politicians wanted it removed, while a few politicians opposed this idea.

“The Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics has submitted its report to the PMC. It has suggested the removal of BRTS infrastructure on the stretch from Parnakuti, Yerawada, to Phoenix Mall and Viman Nagar, as it was unused due to ongoing Metro work and frequent accidents. The local police and citizens’ groups, as well as politicians, had urged the civic body to remove it. The damaged railings and infrastructure in dangerous condition are being removed on the stretch,” said additional municipal commissioner Vikas Dhakane, as per the Indian Express report.

In 2016, the PMC introduced the BRTS on a 7.5-kilometer stretch of Nagar Road. However, a portion of it remained unused for the past three years due to construction work on the elevated Metro project, which involved placing pillars in the middle of the road. This construction work also resulted in the removal of three out of the ten bus stops on the BRTS lane. The Metro project is now close to completion.

Earlier, the PMC had removed a small section of the BRTS lane on Nagar Road as a "trial." This sparked a conflict between supporters and critics of the initiative, with political opinions becoming more vocal on both sides of the argument.

“Finally, PMC has started removing the BRT route on Nagar Road. Many times I had demanded the civic body remove BRT considering the accidents, traffic jams, and loss of life caused by BRT on Nagar Road. Local citizens and those travelling on the Nagar road were suffering from the traffic caused by BRT. I had raised my voice in the Legislative Assembly for the removal of BRT on Nagar Road. By removing BRT, it will help us avoid accidents that are taking place and relieve long-term traffic congestion,” said NCP legislator Sunil Tingre, representing the area in the Assembly.

NCP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Vandana Chavan objected to the proposal to eliminate the BRTS lane. She wrote to the PMC, expressing her disagreement and stating that removing the BRTS wouldn't address the traffic problem and might lead to more private vehicles. Chavan suggested that the PMC should focus on improving the public transport system instead.