The Times of India 22.02.2013
PMC admits delay in road improvement work
PUNE: Following the
accident on Thursday that killed a 17-year-old at Chandni Chowk, the
Pune municipal corporation has now announced that it would carry out
tarring of the road here. City municipal commissioner Mahesh Pathak said
the administration would complete the work in 15 days.
Pathak also said that the road improvement work at Chandni chowk has been delayed and a decision on action to be taken against the official concerned in this area will be taken after getting a report from traffic police department.
Pathak was speaking at the civic general body meeting when the elected members, agitated over the accident on Thursday morning, raised the question of the delay in road repair works at Chandni chowk. "A college student lost his life in the accident. It is the fault of the civic administration that has led to the delay in solving traffic problems at Chandni chowk area. What action has the civic administration planned against officials who have not acted swiftly to solve the traffic issues," asked Yogesh Mokate, a Shiv Sena corporator.
Prithviraj Sutar, other Shiv Sena corporator held the civic administration responsible for "aggravating the traffic problem by handling the land acquisition issue wrongly."
The elected members cutting across party lines had held an agitation at Chandni chowk earlier this month and in January to draw attention to the accident prone area. They had submitted a memorandum to the civic administration seeking a solution to the problem.
"There has been a delay in finding an answer to this problem. The traffic issue in this area is very complicated. Three roads including the Pune-Mumbai highway converge on this spot and has heavy traffic. The civic administration has been taking efforts to solve the problem. The civic administration has planned long term as well as short term solutions to remove the congestion," said Pathak.
Pathak said that one road at this chowk has a slope, while another road is a highway. There are problems in acquiring land along the roads and people who own the land are reluctant to give it to the civic body for widening the road. This has delayed the road widening, he added.
He said that the civic administration has planned steps including a small bridge for connecting the roads, widening of the road, tarring and shifting of bus stop, autorickshaw stands and removal of roadside encroachments to ensure smooth movement of traffic.
Pathak also said that the road improvement work at Chandni chowk has been delayed and a decision on action to be taken against the official concerned in this area will be taken after getting a report from traffic police department.
Pathak was speaking at the civic general body meeting when the elected members, agitated over the accident on Thursday morning, raised the question of the delay in road repair works at Chandni chowk. "A college student lost his life in the accident. It is the fault of the civic administration that has led to the delay in solving traffic problems at Chandni chowk area. What action has the civic administration planned against officials who have not acted swiftly to solve the traffic issues," asked Yogesh Mokate, a Shiv Sena corporator.
Prithviraj Sutar, other Shiv Sena corporator held the civic administration responsible for "aggravating the traffic problem by handling the land acquisition issue wrongly."
The elected members cutting across party lines had held an agitation at Chandni chowk earlier this month and in January to draw attention to the accident prone area. They had submitted a memorandum to the civic administration seeking a solution to the problem.
"There has been a delay in finding an answer to this problem. The traffic issue in this area is very complicated. Three roads including the Pune-Mumbai highway converge on this spot and has heavy traffic. The civic administration has been taking efforts to solve the problem. The civic administration has planned long term as well as short term solutions to remove the congestion," said Pathak.
Pathak said that one road at this chowk has a slope, while another road is a highway. There are problems in acquiring land along the roads and people who own the land are reluctant to give it to the civic body for widening the road. This has delayed the road widening, he added.
He said that the civic administration has planned steps including a small bridge for connecting the roads, widening of the road, tarring and shifting of bus stop, autorickshaw stands and removal of roadside encroachments to ensure smooth movement of traffic.
