Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMVs) are prohibited from entering the city before 9 pm. However, hundreds of trucks carrying goods, coming from Paithan and Link Road, stop at the Mahanubhav Ashram Chowk every evening. These trucks block one side of the road, causing traffic congestion for vehicles entering the city. Furthermore, due to the one-way road, the possibility of accidents is also being raised, yet it seems the police have neglected this issue. To prevent accidents in the city, HMVs are restricted from entering between 9 am and 9 pm.
The enforcement of these rules is the responsibility of the police. However, it appears that the drivers of cargo trucks and other HMVs are blatantly violating these regulations. Despite knowing that entry into the city will be allowed only after 9 pm, hundreds of cargo trucks coming from Paithan Link Road and Bidkin stop every evening at the Ashram’s traffic signal.
On Thursday, a long queue of these trucks stretched to Link Road. This road is used by hundreds of factory workers from Bidkin DMIC, as well as numerous buses and other vehicles transporting workers to and from Waluj MIDC. Employees commuting from rural areas of Paithan and Gangapur talukas to the city also use this route in the evening. The trucks parked on the road reduce this dual carriageway to a single lane, leading to traffic congestion. Often, ambulances get stuck in this traffic jam. Since these vehicles are allowed to enter the city only after 9 pm, the question raised by the drivers is why they are allowed to proceed beyond Link Road into the city.
The Assistant Police Inspector (Traffic), Vivek Jadhav said,” Heavy vehicles are allowed to use the bypass, but they are not permitted to enter the city before 9 pm. Today, the heavy vehicles that had stopped there were supposed to carry maize to the railway freight yard. As a result, these trucks were stopped at the Mahanubhav Ashram signal. Once the drivers realised that the train was not coming, some of them left the spot. The remaining truck drivers were also instructed to leave the area.”
Heavy traffic on Paithan Road
The work of laying a new water pipeline has been started on Paithan Road. A large pit has been dug at the corner of Paithan Link Road for the installation of the new pipeline. The mound of soil from this pit has been dumped on the road, creating a risk of accidents in the area.