After CM Shinde's Intervention, Hope Rises, Police And Residents Launch Ground-Level War On Hinjawadi Traffic Chaos

By Prashant for PuneriPages.in

For years, if there’s one thing that united almost every IT employee, resident, and commuter in Pune’s Hinjawadi area, it’s this: the daily traffic nightmare. It’s not just an inconvenience anymore—it’s a mental toll, an everyday frustration that begins and ends the day for thousands.

But something’s shifted.

Thanks to a direct intervention by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, a long-standing problem may finally be getting the attention it deserves. And for the first time in what feels like forever, we’re seeing an encouraging picture—police officers and residents walking the roads together, clipboards in hand, mapping out the pain points of Pune’s busiest tech corridor.

The Broken Rhythm of Hinjawadi

Let’s be real. For most of us, Hinjawadi traffic isn’t just about congestion. It’s the broken rhythm of everyday life—missing meetings, school pickups, or even just the sanity of a calm commute.

So when Pimpri Chinchwad Police joined hands with locals for a detailed ground survey, it wasn’t just another token gesture. It felt like a moment. A possible turning point.

The Hit List: Top 5 Traffic Nightmares Identified

The survey wasn’t vague. It was boots-on-the-ground, reality-facing work. Here’s what the team zeroed in on:

Company Bus Encroachments
Giant corporate buses, often double-parked, have turned what should be a three-lane road into a single bottlenecked mess.
Street Vendors Eating Up Space
We love our chai and vada pav, but stalls spilling into lanes are choking already narrow roads.
Wrong-Side Warriors
Certain junctions see a maddening number of two-wheelers and even cars going full rogue. The survey mapped these turn-by-turn.
Manual Signals & Poor Junction Control
Places like Wipro Chowk and Infosys Circle have become gridlocks because of inefficient signaling.
Metro Work Debris & Potholes
Ongoing Metro construction has left rubble, narrowed paths, and crater-like potholes.

Residents + Police = Real Change?

This time, it’s not just the police showing up. It’s residents, tech employees, and RWAs joining forces. People who live this chaos daily are finally being heard.

“We’ve filed complaints, sent emails, even made memes out of our misery. But now, to see the DCP actually walk these roads with us—it feels different,” said Ankit More, a Hinjawadi Phase 2 resident and active volunteer.

“Locals know the pain points. We’re here to listen, document, and act. This survey is just step one,” added a senior officer from Pimpri Chinchwad Traffic Department.

What’s Being Done (And What Needs to Be)

Short-Term Relief Measures

Tow trucks to clear illegally parked buses and autos.
Hawker zones being planned to avoid roadside clutter.
Traffic wardens to be posted at choke points during peak hours.

The Long-Term Fix? Metro, Baby. Everyone knows it: unless public transport becomes a real, viable option, traffic won’t improve. The Hinjawadi-Shivajinagar Metro line is still a few years away—but hopes are pinned on it.

A Moment to Watch—And Push

So here we are. Something real is happening. Not just words, but actions. But if there’s one thing Pune has taught us, it’s this: momentum needs follow-through.

This survey, born from the CM’s push, could mark the beginning of a better commute—or it could be another lost promise. And that, dear reader, is up to all of us to watch, support, and question.

Because Hinjawadi deserves better. And maybe—just maybe—this is the moment we start getting it.