In July last year, the Army’s Pune Sub Area had blocked a road to erect arches and conduct repairs, forcing commuters to take a long detour. It has been a couple of months since the work was completed but the authorities are yet to open the road to traffic, prompting the commuters to demand its immediate reopening and the traffic police to take up the matter with the Army. They called blocking of the entrance to Manekji Mehta Road in Pune Cantonment as “unwarranted”. Pune Sub Area has constructed an arch at the entry and the defence authorities said they were looking into the complaints, and considering reopening of the road. The Pune Sub Area started construction of the arch in July last year and simultaneously undertook repairs on Manekji Mehta Road. Defence authorities had marked October for completion of the road. The work has been completed but the Pune Sub Area has not reopened the road to traffic, leading to hardships for commuters. DCP (Traffic) Sarang Awad said, “They have completed the work. We do not see any work currently on. We have communicated to them repeatedly, but unfortunately, the Pune Sub Area authorities did not respond. Our officers visited their office four times in the last two weeks, but there has been no response. The blockade caused a lot of inconvenience to people who want to cross to the Hadapsar side. They have to take a long detour now.” An officer from the local traffic division said, “Even when work started, defence authorities had no prior discussion with us. They started the work, prevented entry of vehicles and then informed us. There was a display board that said they would complete the work by October. They have removed the board but have not opened the road. We have no objection to Army stopping and checking vehicles for security reasons. But stopping vehicles at the entry of the road and some other approaching roads is unwarranted.” The officer added, “Now the Army authorities are saying they want to install security cameras and some automatic barricades. We have told them we can divert traffic for sometime in the day when this work is on. There is no point in keeping the road closed 24 hours.” Avinash Shikare, an autorickshaw driver said, “Many times, the defence people stop vehicles without reason. They should resume traffic on the road. We have to take a long route to go to Hadapsar and Solapur road side.” A senior Army officer from Pune Sub Area who did not want to be named said, “It is not true that traffic police communicated with us many times. We received their communication on Monday. We have put the matter before higher authorities asking for permission to reopen the road. It is under consideration.”
