Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MP Vandana Chavan on Wednesday demanded that the dedicated lane for the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) on Ahmednagar Road be restored and measures be taken to discipline private vehicles instead.
Chavan said, “Traffic congestion is being caused by private vehicles and there has not been any effort to regulate them. Even the studies by ITDP India had shown that a large section of the carriageway is encroached upon by illegally parked vehicles, hawkers etc. Reducing road space is also contributing to the congestion.”
“PMPML bus commuters are mainly working women and people from the working class. Dismantling of dedicated lanes for the BRTS will result in buses being caught in traffic jams,” Chavan said.
“By taking such action, the PMC is encouraging private vehicles instead of promoting public transport. It is an irony that instead of trying to increase its fleet and improve the quality of the BRTS and make it efficient and safe, the PMC is opting to scrap it,” Chavan said.
Recently when the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) took the decision to scrap the BRTS on Ahmednagar Road, NCP MLA from Wadgaon Sheri Sunil Tingre was aggressive about removing the BRTS whereas Chavan had opposed the decision.