Nashik civic body & cops must streamline traffic at bus Dwarka Circle: Chhagan Bhujbal

Time of India

19 hours ago

Nashik: Voicing his apprehension about traffic management at the busy Dwarka Circle in Nashik city, state food and civic supplies minister
Chhagan Bhujbal
said if the civic body and city police failed to work together on this issue, he would personally intervene through street protests to ensure proper functioning.
The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) is currently working on improving traffic flow by removing the traffic island at Dwarka Circle, a junction notorious for daily traffic congestion lasting hours.
Talking to reporters, an agitated Bhujbal said, "Neither does the Nashik Municipal Corporation want to act, nor do the city police want to ensure traffic management at the busiest junction in Nashik city is smooth and unrestricted.
They are reluctant to do their duty. If this is the case, then I will have to sit here and see how things are streamlined."
He pointed out that unauthorised vendors are contributing to the untidiness at the junction, which the civic body ignores. Additionally, the police department has failed to address the issue of randomly parked vehicles, he said.
"Look how the Haji Ali Circle in Mumbai was developed when I was mayor of the Mumbai Corporation.
I know the Dwarka Circle can also be equally beautiful, free from traffic and without bottlenecks. But only if the NMC and the police personnel are willing to work for it," said Bhujbal.
He expressed frustration over the authorities' inaction, noting that despite repeated requests, neither the police nor NMC fulfilled their responsibilities regarding traffic management and encroachment removal. Following NHAI's removal of the traffic island, he intended to monitor the departments' performance.
Bhujbal urged NMC to install and properly manage traffic signals. He advised the police to implement CCTV surveillance and enforce penalties for traffic violations, rather than stopping trucks mid-junction for inspection.
He said MLA Devyani Pharande has been coordinating with NHAI, corporation and police authorities on this matter.
Regarding the Nashik-Pune semi-highspeed railway, Bhujbal said he has shared the information with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis that a slight deviation in the alignment, bypassing GMRT installation at Narayangaon and not requiring to divert it through Shirdi, was possible.. "CM Fadnavis said he would be talking to the Railway minister soon."
Following Bhujbal's visit to Dwarka, police officers began taking action against unauthorised parking and vendors, clearing the area. They also issued penalties to private and public vehicles obstructing traffic flow.
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