Traffic chaos in Mandai to ease as work on Metro station's entry gets over

Time of India

a day ago

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Pune: The traffic situation in the Mandai area is expected to ease with Maha Metro wrapping up work on the Metro station's new entry point, paving the way for the removal of barricades that have choked the area for almost three years, thereby reducing traffic congestion.
The new entry point of the Metro station, now operational at the front of Mandai, has cleared up the area, but a section on the left side remains barricaded. Maha Metro is still building shops for local vendors as a part of a rehabilitation plan, which is why the barricades are still up there, officials said.
"The construction of shops is expected to be completed in the next couple of months, after which the entire area will be free of barricading," an official said.
Commuters and traders in the Mandai area are, however, growing impatient with the ongoing construction work, particularly with the barricades still occupying a significant portion of the area. They have urged the authorities to expedite the completion of the remaining work, especially the construction of shops for local vendors before Ganeshotsav, which is just a couple of months away.
Vendor Ashok Thite expressed frustration over the prolonged construction work in the Mandai area.
"Everyone who visits the Mandai area has faced hardships owing to metro works... The authorities must understand that the visitors have been dealing with huge chaos for the last couple of years. All we want is to finish work in the next couple of months and subsequently remove barricades at the earliest," he said.
With two entry points now operational and another reportedly under consideration, Thite hopes for a swift resolution to the ongoing disruptions.
The Mandai station opened for commuters last Oct. According to Maha Metro, it is listed among the stations with a high commuter footfall. More than 15,000 commuters use the Metro services from Mandai every day.
Mandai trader Sudip Khot highlighted a bigger challenge, saying authorities struggle to keep entry-exit points encroachment-free. "Illegal vendors, encroachment and haphazard parking are major problems in the Mandai area.
Restricting encroachment around the Metro station is a huge task to avoid chaos," Khot said.
Paud road resident Surekha Kulkarni said, "Access to the Mandai area has become a bit easy after the commencement of Metro station but unfinished work is causing hurdles. Even after eight months, the works are not complete in the area. There should be a strict deadline."
Besides Mandai, the Maha Metro is also coming up with an additional entry-exit at Civil Court station from the Dengle bridge-end.
Work on this entry point is in the final stages.
CMRS team inspects Khadki station
A team from the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) has begun inspecting the Khadki Metro station in preparation for its opening. Maha Metro officials are addressing the CMRS team's suggestions, and once formalities are completed, the station will be opened to commuters with corresponding changes to the timetable. The metro station is strategically located near the Khadki railway station, featuring a direct landing that will facilitate seamless transfers between the Metro and railway services.