Nitin Gadkari Goes To Inspect Tunnel Meant To Ease Traffic Congestion: Cancels Visit After Getting Stuck In Traffic [Video]
Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways of India, Nitin Gadkari, is often seen talking about making Indian roads world-class and, in some cases, even better than those in the USA. However, during his recent visit to Pune, he got stuck in a traffic jam so severe that he had to cut short his trip and return without even visiting the proposed site for a tunnel.
The minister was on his way to visit a proposed site for a major traffic decongestion project when he got stuck. The minister and his convoy vehicles were caught in a severe traffic jam in the same area where authorities had suggested building an underpass or underground corridor.
Nitin Gadkari, along with others, was supposed to reach the site at around 10:30 a.m. on Monday this week. The main purpose of the visit was to inspect the site and location for the proposed four-lane underground corridor from Shaniwar Wada to Swargate, and from Saras Baug to Shaniwar Wada.
Due to various reasons, Nitin Gadkari’s flight got delayed, which in turn caused a delay in his schedule. Although Gadkari was late, local politicians and officials had already arrived, and the heavy rain also contributed to the congestion in the area.
Traffic was already moving slowly, and in addition to that, the traffic police had temporarily halted vehicles moving from the rear of Shaniwar Wada towards the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) building and from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Bridge towards Shaniwar Wada. This was done to facilitate the minister’s convoy movement.
However, this only worsened the situation. It increased commuter problems, and by the time Gadkari and his convoy reached the Shaniwar Wada site at around 11:25 a.m., traffic had almost ground to a halt.
One of the policemen speaking to the media said, “It was a Monday, during office hours when traffic is at its peak, and handling a huge convoy of a Union Minister is not easy. This led to traffic congestion at Bajirao Road and around Shaniwar Wada despite there being an adequate number of traffic police.”
The minister, after arriving at the Shaniwar Wada site, paid floral tributes to Bharatiya Jan Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee. He then got into his vehicle with the intention of heading towards Swargate for the project inspection. He was accompanied by the local MLA as well.
However, there was a long queue of vehicles on the road due to the traffic jam. When the minister noticed the situation, he asked his driver to turn the car around and return without visiting the site.
Local MLA Hemant Rasane, who was with Gadkari in the car, said, “Gadkari has assured us that he will return for the inspection at a later date.” One of the locals who stays near Shaniwar Wada said, “This just shows how bad the traffic has become in central Pune. When even a Union Minister cannot reach the inspection site because of congestion, imagine what we regular citizens go through every day. We hope this project is not just announced but actually completed soon.”