3 accidents in 2 days spark safety concerns over Rakshak Chowk flyover

Pune: Fresh concerns have surfaced over the steep gradient of the newly inaugurated Rakshak Chowk flyover in Pimpri Chinchwad after three accidents were reported on the stretch within two days of its opening, prompting residents and public representatives to question the safety of the structure.While no major injuries or fatalities were reported, the accidents caused damage to the vehicles involved. The flyover was opened to traffic on Friday last week.Police and traffic department officials confirmed the incidents. Jitendra Koli, senior police inspector of Sangvi police station, said they received information about accidents on Saturday and Sunday, but there were no serious injuries or casualties.Sudam Pachorkar, senior police inspector of Sangvi traffic division, said “One person suffered minor injuries in one of the accidents. Preliminary findings suggest driver error and not the steep slope as the cause,” he said.Pachorkar further said traffic personnel had noticed some motorists stopping on the flyover to shoot reels for social media platforms as it was newly opened, and warned that action would be taken against those creating obstruction or risking safety.Maval Lok Sabha MP Shrirang Barne, however, blamed the civic administration for negligence. Claiming that a four-wheeler overturned after the driver lost control due to the steep slope on Saturday, Barne said he had earlier warned officials about the risks during an inspection visit while the flyover was under construction.“During my visit to review the construction work, I had warned that the steep slope could lead to accidents in the future, but the administration ignored the warnings. I had also pointed out the technical flaws in the bridge to the civic administration, but no attention was paid to them,” he said.Barne further cautioned that the flyover could turn into an accident-prone stretch similar to the Navale Bridge section on the Pune-Bengaluru highway, which witnesses frequent mishaps. “Citizens’ lives should not be put at risk. The civic body must carry out corrective measures to the slope before it is too late,” he added.The MP had visited the site in Feb this year and asked civic officials to reduce the gradient on both sides of the flyover. Following the visit, PCMC conducted a safety audit through the College of Engineering Pune (CoEP), after which additional safety measures were implemented.PCMC executive engineer Sandhya Wagh said the flyover had been declared safe for commuters following the audit. “The speed limit has been fixed at 30 kmph and additional rumblers were installed based on the recommendations in the safety audit report. Bicycles are also not allowed on the flyover,” she said, adding that the accidents reported were not linked to the slope.Despite the civic administration’s assurance, commuters continue to raise concerns over the design of the flyover.Sandip Surule, a resident of Bhumkar Chowk who frequently uses the stretch, said the slope appeared unusually steep and risky. “The distance is less and the height is more. Anyone can notice how steep and risky it is. On the first day itself, I got stuck in congestion on the flyover, so I doubt whether it will really make commuting faster and signal-free,” he said.Rajesh Kamble, a Hinjewadi resident who commutes daily to Kharadi IT Park from this stretch, said driving on the flyover felt risky. “It feels like climbing a mountain and then descending from an adventure ride. Vehicles gain speed quickly on the slope and I doubt whether rumblers alone can control it. Major speed breakers may be needed,” he said.Kamble added that though traffic congestion had reduced after the opening of the flyover, commuters now feared that the smoother ride had come with added risk.Another resident, Ganesh Bomble of Vishalnagar, said the slope appeared steeper compared to other flyovers, though not as dangerous as being projected. “During construction, it looked extremely steep, but I think some changes were made later to reduce the gradient to an extent,” he said. However, he pointed out that the carriageway had become narrower than the earlier BRTS lanes, which could lead to congestion in the future.The Rs22-crore project was completed earlier this month and opened to the public without any formal inauguration ceremony due to the model code of conduct in force for the MLC elections. Situated on the Aundh-BRTS road near Pimple Nilakh, the flyover connects a key corridor between Pune city and Pimpri Chinchwad, enabling signal-free travel between Aundh and Kiwale.