PCMC withdraws road-narrowing move

The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has withdrawn its decision to narrow the service road at Ahilyadevi Holkar Square, also known as Morwadi or Finolex Square on the old Pune-Mumbai highway, officials announced on Thursday.

- Varad Bhatkhande

The narrowing, done under a ‘junction improvement project” using plastic barrier poles and cement blocks, was found to be worsening congestion. The poles and blocks have now been removed, clearing the road and easing traffic flow at the busy junction.

Morwadi Square lies in the heart of Pimpri-Chinchwad, on the service road of the old Mumbai-Pune highway and close to the PCMC main administrative building. The key junction connects Pimpri, Chinchwad, Ajmera Colony, Pimpri Camp, Nehru Nagar, Chikhali and other areas. Vehicle movement is heavy throughout the day. Despite this, the road was already narrow, with barely two lanes due to commercial complexes, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) routes and metro poles.

Earlier this month, PCMC had undertaken measures under junction improvement to reduce congestion at Morwadi Square by installing cement blocks and plastic poles to narrow the road for pedestrians’ convenience. The administration said it was attempting to make people follow rules and signals and avoid wrong-side driving.