Heavy vehicles only at night; height barriers, shifting liquor shops to prevent mishaps: Police chief after accident at Gangadham chowk

Indian Express

3 days ago

A day after a woman was killed in an accident at Gangadham Chowk, Pune city police commissioner Amitesh Kumar visited the spot on Thursday and said corrective measures will be taken to prevent accidents there in future.
While imposing restrictions on heavy vehicles during day time at Gangadham Chowk, Kumar said measures such as installing 'height barriers' and shifting the liquor shops in the area would be undertaken to control road accidents at the spot. Kumar said they were checking if height barriers would hamper the movement of fire brigade vehicles and ambulances and accordingly action will be taken.
Restriction on heavy vehicles
Pune traffic police has imposed a complete ban on all types of heavy vehicles on the stretch between Shatrunjay temple and Gangadham Chowk on the Katraj Kondhwa road.
Also, heavy vehicles won't be allowed from Tilekar Chowk in Kondhwa to Gangadham Chowk throughout the day, stated a press release issued by DCP (traffic) Amol Zende on Thursday. There is a restriction on heavy vehicles on the road from Lulla Nagar to Gangadham Chowk, to Maharashtra Warehousing Corporation to Seven Loves chowk, from 6 am to 11 pm.
However, the heavy vehicles can use this route during the night hours from 11 pm to 6 am.
A 29-year-old woman Deepali Yuvraj Soni, riding pillion on a bike, was killed and her 61-year-old father-in-law Jagdish Pannalal Soni, who was riding the two-wheeler, was seriously injured after it was hit by a truck on the busy Gangadham Chowk on Wednesday morning. The accident was caught on CCTV cameras installed at the busy traffic junction.
Police arrested the truck driver Shaukatli Papalal Halkundi of Bhavani Peth, as well as the truck owner Gokul Chandrakant Jawalkar of Dhankawadi. An FIR was lodged against them at the Market Yard police station under Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 49, 281, 125 (b), 324(4), 3(5) and sections of the Motor Vehicle Act.
Kumar, speaking to media persons, said movement of heavy vehicles in the area has led to accidents. Three fatal accidents have been reported at the spot in the last one year, he said.
Gangadham Chowk is located near Market Yard, where many heavy vehicles carrying goods pass on a daily basis. 'We are working on a priority basis to bring traffic discipline to Gangadham Chowk. Heavy vehicles would be allowed to pass through this area only from 10 pm to 6 am. Action is being taken against the illegal godowns and unauthorised constructions in the area,' Kumar said.
The police commissioner also said they have received complaints against liquor shops near the chowk. 'Steps would be taken to shift these liquor shops or cancel their licences,' he said. Kumar also talked about the need to redesign the entire Gangadham junction. He said the police are in talks with the PMC authorities regarding the engineering concerns in the area and taking the essential corrective measures to prevent road mishaps.
In June last year, a pillion rider Damayanti Bhupendra Solanki (59) had died while her daughter-in-law Priyanka Rahul Solanki (33), who was riding the two-wheeler, was injured after being hit by a dumper truck on the road from Aai Mata temple to Gangadham Chowk. Local citizens had then staged a protest at Gangadham chowk demanding action against heavy vehicles.