Residents of Anant Kanhere Path protested the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) footpath-widening project in the city on Tuesday. Residents opposed the continuing construction work, saying it was inefficient. Locals also protested that extending the sidewalk has only exacerbated their problems. They said that widening the footpath had eaten up the road’s width.
They said that residents have been struggling with traffic jams and pollution for more than a month, ever since the work started. Residents took to the streets in protest on Tuesday because they had no other choice. They also put a halt to work near Patrakar Bhavan in Navi Peth.
They also stated that there are several hospitals in the city, including Sahyadri Hospital and Bhide Hospital, and that ambulances will struggle to get through during traffic jams. The pavement should be narrowed again to widen the thoroughfare, according to residents.
Residents of Kanhere Path claim that they had complained and been assured that corrections would be made several times before starting the protest, but that the situation had not changed, prompting them to take matters into their own hands.
One of the residents said that He had to take a detour to reach his home in Navi Peth because the road had narrowed. The footpath work appears to be completely unnecessary, particularly given the current financial situation. The city council should not waste money on such endeavours, he added.
Sunil Patil, a PMC junior engineer in charge of the construction site, argued that they have seen in the past that no matter how large the roads are, traffic jams will still occur. The Pune-Mumbai expressway is the best example of how even a broad highway can’t keep traffic under control. They are thinking about pedestrian issues and their protection therefore, the footpath is being extended. Residents’ complaints, on the other hand, would be investigated, he added.
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