Octroi posts stay put adding to major traffic snarls

On May 15, 1998, the traffic police had sent letters to the corporations stating that the posts, located at 14 vantage points on 11 thoroughfares, should be closed down and new, set-back posts should be constructed.

The only such post constructed since then is at Katraj. And that too is not being used as the construction of its building it incomplete.

The collection centres, proposed to be shifted, were located at Nigdi and Phugewadi on Pune-Mumbai highway, at Bhosari on Pune-Nashik highway, Ramwadi on Pune-Ahmednagar highway, Hadapsar on Pune-Solapur highway, Katraj on Pune-Satara highway, Warje Malwadi on Katraj-Dehu Road bypass, Aundh on old Pune-Mumbai Road, Vishrantwadi at Pune-Alandi road, Kondhwa on Pune-Saswad Road, Vitthalwadi on Pune Simhagad Road and Baner on Pune-Baner Road.

All these posts are located on busy roads which have narrow carriageways. With the development of various industries along these highways and thoroughfares, the number of the goods carrying vehicles plying on these roads has multiplied over the decades. The width of the carriageways has not increased in proportion leading to snarls.

The Pune-Satara Road has the widest carriage way — 80 feet — upto Dhankawadi and 100 feet beyond that. The widths of the carriageways on Mumbai-Pune highway and Pune-Solapur range between 60 to 80 feet at various places. Width of carriageways on the old Pune-Mumbai Road and Katraj-Dehu Road bypass is 80 feet each while on Pune-Nashik Road it is 60 feet.

The carriageways on Pune-Ahmednagar highway, Pune-Alandi Road, Pune-Simhagad Road and Pune-Baner Road are 40 feet and that on the Pune-Saswad road is barely 30 feet. Moreover, at some places, encroachments have eaten up a considerable width of the carriageways.

Every goods carrying vehicle, whether entering the city or passing through it, is required to halt at these octroi posts. Almost all these vehicles are parked on the carriageway as none of the octroi posts is on a set-back area. No parking space is available to accommodate all such vehicles. As a result, the vehicles queue up on long stretches on either sides of the posts. Every truck eats up about 12 feet of carriageway width. At times 20 to 24 feet of carriage width is also used up.

Obviously, this encroachment on the carriageways causes bottlenecks and congestions. On many occasions, the vehicles parked on the roads have caused accidents.

Angered over the frequent congestion and a large number of accidents caused due to the trucks parked near the Ramwadi Octroi Post on Pune-Ahmednagar highway, the residents of the area had launched an agitation to demand shifting of the octroi post two years ago.

A separate post was set up to collect duty from the sand carrying trucks on Pune-Ahmednagar road after that. The traffic police had also banned vehicular parking along the highway. However, many trucks are still parked along the highway. The traffic police say, the perineal manpower shortage does not allow them to take action against the trucks parked along the Pune-Ahmednagar road.

Similar problems have risen due to the octroi posts at Katraj, Nigdi, Phugewadi, Hadapsar and Vishrantwadi, a recent survey by the traffic police revealed.

The survey has also showed that Mondays and Fridays are most prone for traffic congestions as the number of goods carrying vehicles entering the city increases since the markets are closed on Saturdays and Sundays.

The police have started posting personnel to control traffic at these octroi posts on these two days. However, even they find themselves in a hapless state as they cannot monitor parking of all goods carrying vehicles.