Three locations in Pune had been reserved for the use of parking for trucks and private buses at plot no 2 in Hadapsar (6 hectares), survey number 26/1A in Balewadi (4 hectares) and survey number 19A/4A-B in Dhankawadi (2 hectares) in 2002. However, even after 10 years, none of them are being used for parking. Baba Shinde, president of the Bus Owners’ Association and former member of the Regional Transport Authority has appealed to the deputy CM to make these lands available to overcome traffic woes due to illegal parking of vehicles.
Shinde said, “Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) should make some facilities such as toilets, lights, chairs etc for travellers, so that when buses are parked in the allotted spots, the travelers would not have any difficulties. This will also end unauthorised parking on roads. Separate rickshaw stand can also be arranged in these locations for commuters.
PMC traffic planner Shrinivas Bonala, however, said that he hasn’t received any letter from Shinde. “There are many issues why these haven’t been used. We already have an octroi post at the Balewadi land, while the land in Hadapsar doesn’t have a good approach road. Only at Dhankavdi is truck parking functional.”
Source: DNA, 4 September 2012. Internet edition.
