Peak-hour traffic crawls on University Road, again

Pune: Commuters stuck on both sides of Ganeshkhind Road, between 5.30pm and 7.30pm on Thursday, struggled to reach home and other places.
They were caught in bumper-to-bumper traffic and had to inch forward on a two-km stretch after two Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited buses broke down on either side.
Rush-hour traffic from cars, bikes, intercity buses and even airport buses, waited all along the roads from Sancheti Hospital till Savitribai Phule Pune University even as traffic wardens and policemen struggled to clear the chaos.
Cab driver Kiran Rathod, who was waiting near Range Hills, said, "I have a scheduled pick-up from Baner at 7pm. I have been stuck at this spot for 25 minutes. God knows when I will reach.''
Software engineer Chintan Shah, who was returning home from his Yerawada office, said, "I have to pick up my son from his daycare centre. I am late by 25 minutes. He must be waiting anxiously for me.''
Another commuter stuck near Central Mall said, "I have driven in bumper-to-bumper traffic all the way from Sancheti Hospital. The traffic police have switched off the signals and are managing the traffic manually.''
Deputy commissioner of police (traffic) Sarang Awad said, "Ganeshkhind Road is a critical corridor that sees very heavy traffic in peak hours. It took us more than two hours to clear the jam. Bus breakdowns have become too frequent now and they disrupt the entire flow. The PMPML must address the issue urgently."
The PMPML authorities said they have taken measures to reduce bus breakdowns. "The PMPML administration has given instructions to check the buses before putting them out on the roads. A special meeting has been conducted to resolve the non-availability of spare parts," joint managing director of PMPML D P More said.
On the frequent breakdowns even after PMPML's claims of taking steps, More said, "The buses facing problems are old."