Oversized containers often get stuck at Morwadi underpass in Pimpri Chinchwad due to absence of height barriers
The latest incident occurred around 5am on Oct 17, when a container truck got stuck inside the underpass, forcing the closure of one lane for nearly four to five hours. In Feb, another container remained stuck for more than 11 hours, causing prolonged traffic disruption. The absence of effective height barriers allowed oversized vehicles, particularly containers taller than 4.5 metres, to enter the underpass and get stuck when drivers misjudge the available clearance. Vehicles reportedly measuring less than 4.5 metres in height have also got stuck, prompting suspicions that road repair work carried out by the civic body may have reduced the available clearance. The Feb incident should have served as a wake-up call, when a lane remained closed for nearly 10 to 11 hours, leaving regular commuters, including me, stuck in heavy traffic.
Oversized containers often get stuck at Morwadi underpass in Pimpri Chinchwad due to absence of height barriers Oversized containers often get stuck at Morwadi underpass in Pimpri Chinchwad due to absence of height barriers Oversized containers often get stuck at Morwadi underpass in Pimpri Chinchwad due to absence of height barriers Oversized containers often get stuck at Morwadi underpass in Pimpri Chinchwad due to absence of height barriers Oversized containers often get stuck at Morwadi underpass in Pimpri Chinchwad due to absence of height barriers Oversized containers often get stuck at Morwadi underpass in Pimpri Chinchwad due to absence of height barriers Pune: Oversized containers continue to get stuck at the Morwadi grade separator underpass on the Mumbai-Pune highway, with seven to eight such incidents reported between Feb and Oct this year. We have also sought two barriers at separate points on the same stretch so that at least one continues to restrict oversized vehicles even if the other is damaged,” Dolas said. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Pune | Silver Rate in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune | Petrol Price in Pune | Diesel Price in Pune | CNG Price in Pune | LPG Price in Pune Stay updated with the latest Pune news.
Amit Dolas, police inspector with the Pimpri traffic division, told TOI that such incidents now occur at least once or twice a month. Traffic police initiate action against the drivers and vehicle owners after every incident,” he said. PCMC officials said height barriers had been installed at the location several times over the past few years. He said the recurring incidents inconvenience commuters and put additional pressure on traffic police, who have to keep personnel deployed until the road is cleared. This leads to congestion, with traffic queues often stretching for several kilometres,” he said. “Many drivers come from outside Maharashtra and are unable to understand the language used on the boards, while others often overlook the warnings at night,” a civic official said. Sandhya Wagh, joint city engineer at PCMC, told TOI that the civic body had planned to install a height barrier at the location. The barrier will be installed soon,” she said. Wagh said PCMC would initially install one barrier. Another civic official said the new height barrier would be stronger and would be installed within a week. Suraj Gaikwad, a Pimpri resident, said he had been witnessing container trucks getting stuck at the underpass for the past four to five years. If the civic administration cannot address an issue that occurs so frequently in its own backyard, it raises questions about how it is handling civic problems in other parts of the city,” he said. Pratik Jadhav, an Akurdi resident who regularly travels along the Morwadi underpass stretch, said he had not seen any significant efforts by either the PCMC or the traffic police to resolve the issue. Yet, the incident failed to prompt the authorities into action,” he said.
The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has yet to find a lasting solution to the recurring problem. “The problem is largely restricted to the Mumbai-to-Pune carriageway and occurs mostly at night. However, heavy vehicles frequently damage or break them within hours. The process of pulling out stuck containers also damages the upper portion of the underpass, adding to the civic body’s repair burden. “We have written to the municipal corporation several times, demanding stronger height barriers similar to those installed by the Railways, which cannot be easily damaged. “Whenever a container or oversized truck gets stuck, we have to call cranes and heavy machinery to pull it out. The operation takes time, during which one or two lanes of the busy highway have to remain closed. oversized vehicles continue to enter the stretch Although signboards have recently been installed to warn drivers about the underpass clearance. Traffic officials have also questioned whether the underpass clearance is the only issue. “The material required for the barrier has already been kept ready. We are awaiting clearance for traffic diversion to carry out the work. A decision on installing a second barrier, as demanded by the traffic police, would be taken later. Meanwhile, residents criticised the civic body for failing to resolve the issue despite it recurring for years. “The Morwadi underpass is located close to the PCMC headquarters, where senior officials, including the municipal commissioner, sit. “The authorities should have started working on a solution long ago. Download the TOI App.
