Pune: Traffic Diversions at Mundhwa Chowk Aimed at Reducing Chaos

Pune: In a bid to ease persistent traffic congestion at Mundhwa chowk, the Pune traffic police and civic authorities have decided to implement diversions at this critical junction. Known for chaotic peak-hour snarls, the chowk serves as a confluence for traffic from Kharadi bypass, Mundhwa goan, Magarpatta, and Ghorpadi.

Currently, long waits at the junction force many two-wheeler riders onto footpaths and even prompt wrong-side driving. To address this, traffic officials plan to restrict right turns at the chowk, replacing them with U-turns. Vehicles from Mundhwa will no longer be able to take a direct right toward Ghorpadi, and similar restrictions will apply to traffic from Kharadi to Ghorpadi and from Ghorpadi to Magarpatta. The entire intersection will be made signal-free to ensure smoother and continuous movement of vehicles.

The changes, which will be introduced in phases over the next few days, are set to be trialed for two weeks. A meeting is expected on Wednesday with local residents and commuters, who have expressed concerns that the new traffic plan could increase travel time.

Residents from the Mundhwa-Keshavnagar stretch highlighted that the diversions were tried briefly on Sunday but failed due to inadequate space for U-turns and the volume of traffic from all directions.

Frequent commuters pointed out that while the plan depends on U-turns to eliminate signals and right turns, the space at Kharadi and Magarpatta is too narrow for large vehicles to make such turns smoothly. Suggestions were made to explore better alternatives to manage the heavy flow and avoid further chaos.

Others emphasized that the traffic moving from Mundhwa-Keshavnagar toward Ghorpadi and Kharadi requires ample space for U-turns if right turns are to be banned.

Citizens also raised concerns that the civic body has yet to work on permanent solutions such as building a bridge connecting Kharadi and Mundhwa or constructing a flyover at the chowk. While some encroachments at the junction have been cleared, more space needs to be freed to reduce bottlenecks and improve traffic flow.

It was also suggested that free left turns on all sides and dedicated left-turn lanes could significantly reduce congestion. Sharp turns from Magarpatta to Ghorpadi and from Ghorpadi to Kharadi were noted as areas that cause slow vehicle movement and require redesign.