City's busiest chowk, nobody's problem

Lokmat News Network

Raj Patil

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

City's busiest intersection chokes autos block lanes, signals get bypassed, and authorities look the other way.

Mill Corner the city's busiest chowk, located near the Central Bus Stand and the Police Commissionerate operates round the clock and serves as one of the most critical traffic junctions in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Yet it stands as a glaring example of a high-footfall intersection plagued by chronic indiscipline. The stretch sees a daily pattern of signal bypassing, unauthorised auto-rickshaw parking, and two-wheelers riding onto footpaths. Commuters are forced to make two stops instead of one once where vehicles cutting in from the Central Bus Stand disrupt the flow, and again at the official signal. A similar situation prevails at Gajanan Maharaj Chowk. The absence of a permanent enforcement mechanism and an unauthorised auto stand stretching from the Central Bus Stand road to the curve toward Barapulla Gate continue to choke this vital intersection, leaving commuters frustrated and road safety at risk.

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Mill Corner: Choked & Bypassed

Unauthorised Auto Stand- Two lines of autos parked along the Central Bus Stand side road, stretching to the curve toward Barapulla Gate, blocking the lane entirely.

Signal Bypass Route- Vehicles from the Central Bus Stand cut through Barapulla road, take a U-turn, and re-enter toward Bhadkal Gate completely skipping the official signal.

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Who is accountable?

"At Mill Corner, the stretch from the Central Bus Stand towards Barapulla Gate is plagued by signal bypassing and an unauthorised auto-rickshaw stand. But who is responsible for fixing this the Municipal Corporation or the Traffic Police?"

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Double stop, one signal too many

"Travelling from Barapulla Gate to Bhadkal Gate via Mill Corner, I have to stop twice once where commuters from the Central Bus Stand cut across, and again at the official signal. Signal bypassing is making evening commutes needlessly frustrating."

- Banu Shaikh, Hotel Owner

Footpaths turned roads

"Every evening, Mill Corner turns into chaos. Congestion is so severe that drivers resort to riding on footpaths. The auto-rickshaw stand must be relocated to bring any real relief."

- Vijay Chitrak, Regular Commuter

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No congestion here

"If we will not stand at this place, then where else can we stand? Due to us, there is no congestion of any kind at Mill Corner."

- Danish Khan, Auto Driver, Mill Corner

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Signal bypass, a growing concern

"Commuters bypass the signal, take the Barapulla road, make a U-turn, and get back onto Commissioner road bypassing the signal entirely. There must be an alternative arrangement. We have two traffic personnel deployed there at all times."

-ACP Subhash Bhujang, Traffic