18 August,2026 05:27 PM IST | Pune | Archana Dahiwal
The decisions were taken at a coordination meeting chaired by Pune District Collector Jitendra Dudi at the Pimpri-Chinchwad Police Commissionerate on Tuesday. PIC/BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
The Pune district administration has drawn a time-bound action plan to address persistent traffic congestion, poor road conditions, parking problems, encroachments, power supply issues, and other infrastructure challenges in the Chakan industrial belt.
The decisions were taken at a coordination meeting chaired by Pune District Collector Jitendra Dudi at the Pimpri-Chinchwad Police Commissionerate. Senior officials from the Pimpri-Chinchwad Police, Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA), Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC), Maharashtra State Infrastructure Development Corporation (MSIDC), Public Works Department, municipal authorities, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), zilla parishad, and other agencies attended the meeting on Tuesday.
Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Babaji Kale and Pimpri-Chinchwad Police Commissioner Vinay Kumar Choubey were also present.
The meeting was convened in accordance with the directions issued by Chief Minister (CM) Devendra Fadnavis, following which a special coordination committee headed by the district collector and the Pimpri-Chinchwad Police Commissioner has been constituted to address issues in the Chakan industrial area.
The committee includes officials from MIDC, MSIDC, NHAI, PMRDA, PWD, local municipal council, zilla parishad, revenue and police departments and other agencies concerned.
The administration said the objective was to overcome the lack of coordination between different agencies and implement short-, medium-, and long-term measures through a common action plan.
All major roads in the Chakan industrial area will be repaired by August 31, including filling potholes and repairing damaged shoulders.
The administration has warned that delays will invite accountability. The competent authorities, engineers, and contractors concerned will be held responsible for failure to complete the work within the stipulated deadline and action will be initiated as per rules.
Roadside parking, particularly by heavy vehicles, has been identified as one of the major contributors to congestion in the Chakan industrial belt.
From Friday, parking of vehicles on roads will be prohibited. Strict enforcement will be undertaken against violators, including vehicle seizure and legal action.
The administration plans to adopt a zero-tolerance approach towards illegal roadside parking.
At the same time, vacant spaces available within the MIDC area will be systematically identified and utilised for parking. Available spaces from the Talegaon side towards the Bhandara Dongar area will also be examined and brought into a planned parking network.
Considering the vast geographical spread of the Chakan industrial area and the pressure on the existing police force, 100 Maharashtra Security Force (MSF) personnel will be made available to assist the police in traffic management.
The personnel will work in two shifts to regulate traffic and support enforcement measures at critical locations.
The administration has also decided to arrange heavy-capacity cranes to deal with vehicles that break down on major roads. Such vehicles will be immediately moved to the roadside or designated locations to prevent them from causing prolonged traffic jams.
Unauthorised roadside stalls, tea shops, warehouses, and other encroachments in the industrial area will be identified and listed.
The authorities concerned will issue notices as per the applicable rules, following which an intensive drive to remove the encroachments will be undertaken over a period of one month beginning August 25.
The administration has further directed that once encroachments are removed, the cleared spaces should be promptly utilised for roads or other required infrastructure.
Collector Jitendra Dudi made it clear that no encroachment would be spared from action because of political influence or any other consideration, reiterating the administration's zero-tolerance policy.
A comprehensive plan is also being prepared for the approximately 500-kilometre road network in and around the Chakan industrial area.
In the longer term, the administration plans to use artificial intelligence and advanced traffic simulation to improve traffic planning and management.
The entire area is proposed to be brought under CCTV surveillance, with monitoring and coordination through the Command and Control Centre of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Police Commissionerate.
The system is expected to provide real-time information about traffic congestion, accidents, vehicle breakdowns and other incidents, enabling authorities to respond more quickly.
Future road development in the industrial belt will incorporate facilities for pedestrian safety and better drainage.
The proposed infrastructure will include storm-water drainage systems, footpaths and pedestrian crossings at appropriate locations.
The decision comes against the backdrop of fatalities in road accidents in the area, prompting authorities to give greater priority to pedestrian safety while planning and upgrading roads.
Authorities have also been directed to identify and close unauthorised cuts in highway dividers.
Officials noted that vehicles taking illegal U-turns and accessing highways through unauthorised openings not only slow down traffic but also increase the risk of accidents.
Accordingly, entry points and turning facilities will be retained only at locations permitted under the applicable norms.
Frequent power tripping and load-shedding in the industrial belt were also discussed.
The government has approved the provision of necessary land within the MIDC area for installation of transformers and other electrical infrastructure. The related works are planned to be completed by August 31.
The administration has set a longer-term target of resolving recurring tripping and load-shedding problems in the industrial area by December 31, through additional infrastructure and capacity-building measures.
Several agencies, including NHAI, MSIDC and the Railways, are expected to undertake infrastructure works in the region.
The administration has decided that such works will not be allowed to proceed without first examining their impact on traffic. Departments will be required to prepare alternative routes, diversion arrangements and traffic simulation studies before commencing projects that could place additional pressure on the existing road network.
Officials also informed the meeting that the tendering process has commenced for a proposed approximately 28-kilometre elevated corridor from Nashik Phata towards the Chakan side. The project is expected to provide significant long-term relief to traffic movement in the region.
Pimpri-Chinchwad Police Commissioner Vinay Kumar Choubey said the meeting, held in accordance with the CM Fadnavis' directions, focused on finding coordinated solutions to the multiple challenges facing the Chakan industrial belt.
He said short-, medium-, and long-term measures had been identified, with particular emphasis on coordination between all the departments concerned.
Repair of potholes and road shoulders, utilisation of vacant spaces for parking, police deployment for encroachment removal, and closure of unauthorised divider cuts are expected to improve traffic flow.
Choubey said the police department would provide the required manpower promptly whenever requested by the agencies concerned. He added that the meeting also discussed the use of artificial intelligence and traffic simulation for more efficient traffic management.
Dudi expressed confidence that visible results would emerge over the coming days as the departments begin implementing the measures according to the fixed deadlines.
He also urged the media to monitor the implementation of the action plan and provide objective feedback, so that shortcomings can be identified and corrective measures taken promptly.
The administration's immediate focus will therefore focus on clearing potholes, eliminating roadside parking, removing encroachments, strengthening traffic manpower, and improving traffic regulation, while the proposed AI-based monitoring, elevated corridor, and infrastructure upgrades are intended to provide longer-term solutions to the Chakan industrial area's growing traffic and infrastructure pressures.
