Maharashtra: Ahmednagar highway traffic snarls irk Wagholi residents

PUNE: Regular commuters and residents of Wagholi have highlighted the inconvenience caused by frequent traffic snarls and congestion on the Pune-Ahmednagar highway, passing through the area.
According to residents, a 3km stretch from the Octroi post to Bakori Phata on the highway is prone to traffic congestion.
Sandip Satav, former deputy sarpanch and a BJP leader, said it is a long-pending issue that must be dealt with on priority with the inclusion of Wagholi in the civic limits.
“We have seen some progress, but there is a long way to go as residents and daily commuters have been facing traffic jams almost every day during rush hours,” said Satav.
Nitin Kumar Jain, of the Wagholi Housing Societies Residents Association, said traffic management in the area is poor. “Haphazard parking, illegal halting of vehicles, wrong side driving, and encroachments are rampant. ,” said Jain.
Sanjay Harpale, a regular commuter, said that driving down the Wagholi stretch was challenging.
“An alternative route should be developed to reduce the burden on the highway, which should be used only by long-distance vehicles that do not have to halt in Wagholi and the surrounding areas,” said Harpale.
An officer from the traffic police department said they are working on solutions to reduce traffic snarls and facilitate smooth flow of vehicles.
“We will approach the civic administration to get some issues resolved, especially encroachments and space occupied along the road and traffic signals,” said the police officer.