By Aditi S Bade
In a daring launch to finally subjugate the notorious congestion choking Pune’s IT corridor, Pimpri-Chinchwad Police have rolled out a grand experimental traffic scheme for the Wakad-Hinjewadi bridge and its important entry/exit points on the Mumbai-Bengaluru highway. At the core of this strategy, executed approximately on September 24-25, 2025, is to provide for a one-way direction during rush hours on the Wakad-Hinjewadi bridge, going along with the flow of IT employees.
How the New Bridge Flow Works The multi-lane bridge will now dynamically allocate lanes to the dominant direction of travel:
- Morning Peak (8 am–12 pm): The traffic flow will be predominantly Wakad to Hinjewadi, with three lanes allotted to entering the IT hub. One lane in the reverse direction (Hinjewadi to Wakad) shall be available only. Those coming from Hinjewadi who wish to get to Wakad during these hours will have to take a detour via the Sayaji Underpass U-turn.
- Evening Peak (4 pm–10 pm): The flow of traffic gets reorganized towards the exodus. Three lanes shall be opened for traffic going from Hinjewadi to Wakad. Vehicles still proceeding from Wakad to Hinjewadi will be kept to only one lane and must use the Surya Underpass and a U-turn route.
An obvious rationale for this direction change is that most vehicles go into Hinjewadi in the morning and out towards Wakad in the evening. Allocating more lanes to the dominant stream is the most straightforward way to free them from bottlenecks.
Highway Entry Points Reconfigured:
The plan goes beyond the bridge, with major tweaks done to the entry and exit points along the Mumbai–Bengaluru Highway near the Wakad–Hinjewadi stretch:
- Highway Realignments: Barricades were erected at Bhujbal Chowk so that unruly exits do not come into existence.
- New Directions: Vehicles going from Mumbai are asked to make an exit before Sayaji Underpass, while those coming from Pune must take their exit near Surya Underpass.
Commuters’ Reaction and Future Initiatives:
While many commuters, tired of being caught in traffic, have welcomed the trial with the thought of it being a necessary evil, somewhat cautious voices are still heard. There are concerns about the congestion over alternate detour routes, harsh enforcement of rules, or even the readiness of the road infrastructure in the vicinity. The entire plan is purely on a trial basis, and the Pimpri-Chinchwad Police have keenly sought views from local residents and commuters. Suggestions and objections can be submitted at the Hinjewadi Traffic Division office in Bhujbal Chowk or the Traffic Branch in Chinchwad Gaon. To support the trial, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PCMC) and traffic planners plan to accelerate pending road widening and other civil works. At present, therefore, the public is strongly advised to take the new timings of the peak hour into consideration while planning their travels; to follow the new signage; and to shun unauthorized crossings.