Citizens commuting through Ghorpadi have been facing the railway crossing block for years and it has been seven years since the railway over bridges (ROBs) have been sanctioned at the Pune-Solapur and Pune-Miraj crossings. But due to land acquisition issues in the defence estates citing a security concern by army, there has been no further development.

The citizens have now decided to take the matter in their own hands and are going to approach the army and defence ministry; and if the issue is still not resolved they are even willing to seek help from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). Everyday thousands of citizens living in Ghorpadi, Mundhwa, Wanowrie, Hadapsar and the vicinity have to wait for hours at the two railway crossings and struggle to reach their destination in time.

Adding salt to injury, the Kalyani Nagar- Ghorpadi road has been closed for civilian traffic after the German bakery blast owing security reasons, due to which the citizens have to take a de-tour of 7 km instead of the normal 1 km of travelling.

If there is so much security threat in the army areas, the rest of the city must be under even more danger. “The current scene on this stretch is as if we are living in some insurgency-hit area or at some forward post. There is no threat of any sort. False fears of security threat make us think irrationally. The road should be reopened”, said retired Lt Col M K Gupta.

Due to these problems the citizens have to bear the brunt of wastage of time and fuel and in cases of emergency some have even lost their lives. Recently a young boy was to be shifted to some other hospital for treatment, could not reach on time because the gates were closed; sadly, he lost his life.

The citizens have formed a railway bridge committee and they see cost as another major problem as constructing the two ROBs will cost Rs. 180 crore. The citizens think that the cost is responsibility of the PMC. The committee feels that the main problem lies in the land acquisition and they will first approach the defence estate department.

It is a social need so the army should understand it and common sense should prevail opined a committee member. Many retired army personnel also agree that there is not evident security threat as such and the authorities should give in. In the mean time Puneites have to face another development issue owing to land acquisition.

The deputy CM of Maharashtra Ajit Pawar is ready to gift Pune with metro rail in five years if Puneites gives his party a clear majority in the civic elections. A statement which will definitely receive strong reactions from green activists in the city, Pawar said that he is all for the underground metro to address the city’s traffic problems and that he strongly supports the concept of 4FSI (floor space index) in the surrounding areas of the proposed metro stations.

Speaking to reporters at the Pune Union of Working Journalists, he said “I can get the metro rolling in five years. Give us the majority and I will solve the city’s traffic problems. We stand for an underground metro in congested areas. Though it is an expensive option compared to the elevated metro, we support the underground metro as it is the sustainable answer to traffic problems,”

Currently Pune has 1 FSI allowed for construction. So he is of the view that if 4 FSI is allowed in locations near the metro station, accommodation will increase four fold in those areas with taller buildings being constructed and citizens residing in these areas will be able to walk up to the metro stations, and consequently it will decrease the traffic. Green activists have forever opposed the idea of higher FSI, according to them; it will lead to congestion of civic infrastructure.

He also said that he said that he can definitely convince his party members for the higher FSI module in construction. According to him, NCP could not complete the BRTS project and bring in more buses to ease the trouble of the commuters as he could not get agreement from associate parties.

Pune and its twin city Pimpri-Chinchwad is a growing metropolis with the population on the verge of crossing 50 lakhs. Lack of first-rate public transport has been a major concern for the citizens and they prefer travelling on their own, one of the main reason for the growing number of vehicles, especially two-wheelers on the city roads. If an effective metro system is made available it will definitely help in decreasing the traffic, New Delhi being a classic example.

But the proposed new international airport for Pune near Chakan has been on the back-burner for years now, owing to problems of land acquisition. So even if NCP gets a clear majority in the upcoming PMC elections, Metro in five years seems to be a dream too impractical.

The Pune traffic department is all of a sudden full of beans! In a meeting with PMP Pravasi Manch and PMC the city commissioner of police (CP) was informed that the PMPML buses usually don’t stop at spots they are meant to. The buses either stop before the stand or after passing the stand. Many times they stop away from the stand creating chaos in the already confused traffic.

CP Meeran Chadha Borwankar has ordered the traffic branch to look into the matter and act swiftly. In a traffic advisory committee meeting in June last year, the PMP Pravasi Manch had requested the PMC authorities to paint yellow boxes at the bus stops for buses to halt. The PMC had promised to do the same, but the work is far from being completed seven months down the line. The CP has urged the traffic department to get this task completed in a timely manner.

A PMP Pravasi Manch representative Jugal Rathi was of the view that the city does not have a good traffic infrastructure. We do not follow the lane system as there are no prominent lane markings and citizens are negligent of the importance of lane traffic. Vehicle riders often violate the rule of not stopping their vehicles on the pedestrian crossing at signals and at many places these crossings are not even properly visible.

The PMC authorities have assured that the work of marking the spots for buses to halt will be started as per suggestions from the traffic department. The work will be initiated from the congested roads and other main roads, the authorities added. PMC’s additional city engineer Pramod Nirbhavane said that he has taken up the responsibility of roads department recently, and will see to it that this task is completed as soon as possible.

The PMPML too has ensured that the buses will stop at proper spots, but will need assistance from the traffic department. Unauthorized parking and rickshaws halting near the bus stops is a hindrance for bus drivers to halt the buses properly said a PMPML official, and the traffic police should look into it. The traffic department has given assurance that they will cooperate.

The traffic department is abuzz with activities like launching their website, to assuring safety norms and now making sure that the city buses halt at the proper spots. One more aspect they can look into is pollution, especially with the six seaters running on the highway stretches causing too much pollution.

Pune city is building a great reputation of subway failures. The relatively new subway near Dhanukar Colony is not well equipped hence it is not being utilized by the public. The PMC authorities have no time for this routine task of pedestrian welfare in the wake of upcoming civic elections.

This subway was built under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), at a whopping cost of Rs. 3 crore and is one of the many subways planned in Kothrud- at Kinara Hotel Chowk, More Vidyalaya Chowk and Karve Stree Shikshan Sanstha campus in Karve Nagar.

The new Dhanukar subway is open for public, but the lights are not working, it has hanging electric wires and it has open drainage pits. There are no guards at the entry, so the darkness even during daytime makes it an unsafe option.

The JNNURM officials informed that lights were installed and were working properly and other facilities were also made available. But it seems that the PMC has not looked after the maintenance of the subway ever since it was opened for public. If this is the state of this subway, those which are under construction will also go unused.

Most subways and skywalks in the city are not preferred by the pedestrians for many reasons. The prime reason being that these are poor built and not maintained. The one at the Dhanukar circle has fibre roofs so citizens fear that it won’t be strong enough and they question its sustainability in the rainy season.

Most subways are located at wrong locations instead of important junctions, like the one at Pune station where people find it difficult to locate the subway; so the citizens have to take detours to use them. And in a pedestrian friendly city, skywalks are not welcome as people have to climb higher and then descend to the road. Many subways, like the Sasoon subway, are built under elevated roads and citizens have fewer steps to be taken and are people friendly.

The trouble is that most subways are poorly built, are unclean so people avoid using them. PMC can take a leaf out of the books of Mumbai and Delhi where people use the subways and skywalks as the divider barricades are too high for people to climb over and the subways and skywalks are clean and safe. People will use the subways and skywalks as they are a safe option but PMC should plan them properly and should also look after them.

In an astonishing data revealed by city traffic department, as many as 1,677 people died in accidents on the city roads from 2006 to 2011 in Pune and its twin city Pimpri-Chinchwad. As compared to that the fatalities in accidents that occurred on the various highways surrounding the city is 835.

Bangalore-Mumbai, Pune-Mumbai, Pune-Solapur, Pune-Satara, Pune-Nasik and Pune-Ahmednagar roads are the six highways running through Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad. However, the city limits have expanded many-fold in the past 10 years. So accidents on the part of these highways within the city limits would be counted as city roads.

Deputy Commissioner of police (traffic) Vishwas Pandhare said, “ Roads in the city should have all the necessary features that would make them safe for different types of road users. There are several reasons for accidents. Public awareness about road safety is needed. The number of vehicles has also risen tremendously. On the other hand, there are limitations to enforcing traffic discipline because of limited manpower.”

Road safety activists in the city feel that most accidents happen because traffic rules are not followed and sign boards are not prominent. On the highway stretches the speed restriction boards should be made more prominent.

Many citizens who have been riding two-wheelers for many years in the city are also of the opinion that a majority of accidents are caused due to negligence of traffic rules. Some are of the view that the fines should be increased substantially, which will make people more conscious of the rules.
According to police officials, another important reason behind increasing number of accidents is increase in the number of vehicle, especially two-wheelers. The RTO offices in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad have registered 31.41 lakhs vehicles last year of which 23.39 lakhs are two-wheelers.

In addition, 215 accidental deaths last year were of people who were not wearing helmets. That is the reason why the traffic department is so hell-bent on making helmets compulsory. But along with that citizen awareness is also a step which they are to bringing about.

One major concern though remains is the signboards. If we can have the traffic signboards as prominent as some of the big hoardings in the city it will be a major step in creating awareness. It would also be better if people start being more careful on the roads and follow the rules. It is important to maintain a cop-citizen harmony to decrease the number of fatalities on the city roads.

The city is hum with the upcoming civic body elections. But activists are voicing their concerns over the use of children, especially those under the age of 14 years, in the political rallies and meetings. It is a clear violation of the Child Labour Act, 1986.

There were two major instances where presence of children below 14 years was prominent. In both the cases children were seen waving flags of parties, playing drums and shouting slogans. Children are being used in every nook and corner of the city for various rallies.

One-third of our country’s population consists of children, yet no party has child issues on their agenda; then why use children in the campaigns are what the activists are asking. There is no specific mention of use of children in such scenarios in the child labour act.

A notice from Sumit Mukherjee, Central election undersecretary in 2009 said, “The Commission has taken strong exception to the use of children in work connected with elections. It is highly objectionable. In order to ensure that no such insensitivity is shown by the election-related officials anywhere in the country, the Commission has directed that such a violation of child rights for any work connected with the election process is in no way acceptable to the Commission”.

This is yet another case where the law is being exploited because there is no specific mention of use of children during elections in the Child Labour Act, 1986.

The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986 applies to all establishments and workshops, wherein any industrial process is carried on (excluding one covered under Section 67 of the Factories Act, 1948). Children below 14 years of age are not to be employed in specific occupations like transport of goods etc., which are considered unsafe and harmful to children. The Act also regulates work conditions of children and lays down penalties in violation of this Act, which extends throughout India.

But all the people who are against child labour, every responsible citizen should be, should take a note that child labour is prevailing through-out the city, election or no election. Many commercial establishments, especially restaurants and bars in the city employ child labour.

We are nothing but mute spectators about this issue of fundamental rights of children. It is time we act in unison against this evil and uproot it from our society to give children all they deserve.

The army versus police battle that started in Pune on Tuesday evening seems to be heating up. Even though army has ordered inquiry into the assault, the Army PRO is of the view that the police were trying to get some kind of revenge.

The chief PRO’s release said, “Capt Advait, with Lt Pandit were on a motorcycle to the market and passed through the Sambhaji Bridge which is closed to two-wheeler traffic. The young officers were unaware due to no prominent signposting; they were stopped at the end of the bridge by a lady traffic constable around 7.30 pm on Tuesday. They agreed to pay the fine. But another constable intervened stating that since he was once roughed up for travelling without a helmet in an army area, he would do the same.”

This attitude of the constable led to the whole drama that took place, according to the PRO. The Army officers used their helmets to straighten up the cops, incidentally on the same day when city police had declared that wearing helmets would be made compulsory for two-wheeler riders.

The police have booked the offenders under various sections of the IPC; sections 395 (dacoity), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharging his duty), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 452 (house-trespass, preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint) and sections 143 and 147 (rioting).

Legal experts are of the opinion that the accused officers must be first arrested by the police and then be handed over to army after getting bail.

This is the first time that offences have been registered against Army personnel in the city even though there have been instances when action could have been taken.

In June last year CME officers beat up a policemen of the Bund Garden police station when cops went to the RSI club and requested to reduce the volume of the loudspeakers playing loud music way past midnight. In 1996 there were cases of eve-teasing when CME officers ransacked the old Dapodi police chowky. Cops were beaten for intervening drunken CME officers for abusing citizens in another incident in the same year.

There is a history of battles between the Army and Police. It really is a disgrace that public servants, for whom we have the highest regards, get involved in such battles of tit-for-tat.

One of Pune’s favorite debates, ‘Helmets compulsory for two-wheelers’ is back. Police commissioner of the city Meeran Chadha Borwankar said that wearing the headgear will be made mandatory for two-wheeler riders. She however did not specify a date from which this rule will come into force.

She made this statement at the program which marked the launch of the official website of Pune traffic police. Wearing helmets is already binding on the policemen riding two-wheelers and the traffic department wants the public to follow the same.

Borwankar added that as per the data the traffic police have compiled the number of people losing their lives to road accidents last year because of not using helmets is 215. It is an alarming number and actions must be taken to prevent this. Previous records also show that in two-wheeler accidents, 82 percent people suffer head injuries whereas only ten percent use headgear.

The state government in 2001 made an amendment to its Motor Vehicle Act, 1998 to make helmets compulsory. The rule was enforced in Pune in 2005. But it faced huge opposition from the public and had to be scrapped. But with growing road mishaps the traffic police will declare stringent action this time around.

The argument against the use of helmets is the speed at which traffic moves in the city. This is not Delhi where roads are broad with many flyovers and traffic moves at a high speed. In Pune, roads are narrow and have too many speedbrakers and other road blocks like stray animals all across the city, so many are of the opinion that we still move at the speed of bullock carts and helmets prove to be nothing but a burden.

Some sports medicine experts in the city said that when last time helmets were made compulsory many citizens approached them with neck problems. In such a situation the police don’t want to enforce the law before creating the right kind of awareness. The traffic portal has many programs which are oriented to create understanding among the citizens including a song on the Kolaveri theme.

It will be interesting to see how the whole awareness campaign goes on and what will be the public reaction. Social activists are in full support of this rule and will lend a hand in creating awareness. Will the law come to force or will the police simply leave it to public choice after creating awareness? Watch this space for more.

Sambhaji Bridge police chowky at Tilak chowk was a sight of theatrics for nearly two hours on Tuesday evening after a group of officers from the College of Military Engineering (CME), Dapodi, decided to straighten up cops by assaulting police personnel, when stopped for violation of traffic rules.

The hullabaloo began when two young officers of CME were intercepted by traffic constables at the chowk. These two officers were interrupted because they were riding on a bike across the Sambhaji Bridge (at 7.30 pm.), which is closed for two wheelers form 9 am. To 9 pm. When they were taken to the police chowky, one of the officers called his colleagues and soon a team of 40 army men arrived at the chowky on motorbikes and started assaulting the policemen.

The army officers were so uncivilized that they even roughed up a woman constable, Latika Maner. They also smashed the property of the police chowky. Then four vehicles carrying military officers reached the location, as if it was a war like situation, which sent a panic across the common citizens who had gathered there. Media representatives were also not spared. Some were beaten up and video cameras of a few media channels were broken.

The two officers who started all this were of the opinion that civil action cannot be taken against them as they belonged to the Indian Army. But as per the Army Act, if an official in caught in a civil offence which is not in par with his duties, action can be taken against him. It looks as if the army men had forgotten that they are not on the front.

Later the military police arrived after being called by senior police officers and they took control of the situation with assurance that the issue will be resolved. These are men we have the highest honor for and such an act is not expected from them.

A senior police official Dynaneshwar Phadtare said, “We will lodge an offence under section 353 of the IPC and traffic violation against the two offenders.” According to Section 353 ‘assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty is a punishable offence’.

The weather in Pune has been cold, but the public servants are heating up the atmosphere. Last week it was the marauding state transport driver, now it was the turn of some angry men in the uniform.

Pune traffic police is all set to join the Information Technology bandwagon as it will unveil its official website today, January 31st, 2012. Additional Commissioner of police Chandrakant Kumbhar will inaugurate the website today evening, a one-stop information centre for the citizens; traffic rules and safety norms. The website will provide all the necessary information in English and Marathi.

All the queries regarding traffic rule, public transport and information about the issues of citizens in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad will be provided on the website. The prime objective of the website is to offer a platform for promoting mass awareness on traffic laws and road safety.

The website will have dedicated sections for FAQs and other informative sections like traffic offences and fines, documents to be carried by vehicle users, rules for pedestrians, two-wheeler users, drivers of public transport and heavy vehicles.

The number of accidents in the city keeps on increasing owing to increase in number of vehicles in the city. An entire section has thus been devoted to statistics about accidents with fatalities and injuries. The section also provides safety awareness messages for citizens. In an interesting move to promote safety awareness the traffic department is catching up with the Kolaveri rage with jingle and songs on the theme of the song. The department has posted as many as 17 animated videos on the internet.

The PMPML’s Pune Bus Guide, which was launched by Janwani of the Maratha Chamber of Commerce Industries and Agriculture, is also available to help the bus commuters. Janawani has helped the traffic department in creating the website.

The citizens will have access to a variety of information including the maps of 30 traffic divisions, parking rules and traffic junctions and signal timings at various hours of the day. Data of auto rickshaw rates, emergency hospitals contact details, crane services and updates on traffic situations is also available.

The website also links citizens to other government departments like the PMC and PCMC and to the Facebook page of Pune traffic which was launched a year and a half ago. Messages from the Commissioner and Joint Commissioner are also present on the portal.

Now the citizens cannot complain about not being aware of the traffic rules etc. But implementation of the rules lies in the hand of the department officials and the public. Both should cooperate so that sanity prevails on the roads of the city.