[sajo]

This isnt about roads, but a rant about Pune itself.
Yesterday evening as I was out with my family, I couldnt help but notice a huge amount of ladies bedecked in jewellery, and that got me thinking, how easy a target are they ?
You can read everyday about 2 or 3 chain snatching incidents in the city. I am sure you can add one or two unreported ones to that everyday. Earlier the incidents were limited to elderly ladies on foot, but the thieves have gotten bolder because of total lack of retribution , and are now targeting those on two wheelers as well. Could be because its easier to throw people off balance when they are not expecting it on two wheelers.
Today morning, I read about a lady's chain worth 1.x Lakhs , snatched by two thieves while she was riding her bike with her kids. What worried me that it happened in broad daylight, in the quiet , leafy residential area of Mayur Colony.
I have been advicing colleagues and friends and family members against wearing something conspicuous when on foot or two wheels because stuff may happen even in the vicinity of your home.

[Swanand Inamdar]

Originally Posted by sajo

Today morning, I read about a lady's chain worth 1.x Lakhs , snatched by two thieves while she was riding her bike with her kids. What worried me that it happened in broad daylight, in the quiet , leafy residential area of Mayur Colony.

Wow, this happened in my colony and I wasnt even aware of this! Didnt even read about it? Any details as to when and where it happened?
I agree on the easy traget front. Sad state of affairs it has been.

On another note, did anyone else face trafic snarls in Pune last evening? It was the last day of Navratri celebrations and just like Ganpati processions, there were serpentine queues being formed near Sarasbaug for the visarjan. What's surprising is. till a few years ago, this never happened on such a large scale. Why the sudden rise in devotion?

[sajo]

Originally Posted by Swanand Inamdar

Wow, this happened in my colony and I wasnt even aware of this! Didnt even read about it? Any details as to when and where it happened?
I agree on the easy traget front. Sad state of affairs it has been.

Three gold chains snatched in city - The Times of India

Read a more detailed version somewhere. A brave citizen even gave a hot chase, but soon lost them.
Another one happened right on Bhandarkar road - Good luck chowk intersection (I think). A police van went around cautioning people about chain snatching on a megaphone, and a lady's chain was snatched right as it turned round a bend.

Originally Posted by Swanand Inamdar

On another note, did anyone else face trafic snarls in Pune last evening? It was the last day of Navratri celebrations and just like Ganpati processions, there were serpentine queues being formed near Sarasbaug for the visarjan. What's surprising is. till a few years ago, this never happened on such a large scale. Why the sudden rise in devotion?

I think it was for Darshan at the temple and not visarjan. I was stuck there for about 10-15 minutes yesterday evening too.

[selfdrive]

Originally Posted by Swanand Inamdar

It was the last day of Navratri celebrations and just like Ganpati processions, there were serpentine queues being formed near Sarasbaug for the visarjan. What's surprising is. till a few years ago, this never happened on such a large scale. Why the sudden rise in devotion?

Originally Posted by sajo

I think it was for Darshan at the temple and not visarjan. I was stuck there for about 10-15 minutes yesterday evening too.

My wife and son had gone to that temple opposite Sarasbaug and I picked them up on my way back home. My son wasnt pleased at being dragged along
I agree with Swanand, I have never seen the festival being celebrated so much here in Pune, but I guessed it picked up in the last few years (I wasnt here). I guess the nearer the elections, the more the socalled devotion?
To be honest most of the antics seem spurred by hooliganism than devotion

[Swanand Inamdar]

Originally Posted by sajo

I think it was for Darshan at the temple and not visarjan. I was stuck there for about 10-15 minutes yesterday evening too.

There was a queue at the temple for the Darshan. I'd been there a few days ago. Honestly, the way they manage the entire darshan thing is pretty commendable. Most of the times, the queues are in order.

The visarjan was taking place near Sarasbaug. Near that river/nullah.

Originally Posted by selfdrive

To be honest most of the antics seem spurred by hooliganism than devotion

Precisely my point. Dont see how, playing "Chaar baj gaye lekin...." accounts to devotion of the deity.

[sajo]

Spotted yet another victim of the Bavdhan crossing near Praj. I think it was a two wheeler which was hit this time, probably fatal, from the resigned looks on everybody's faces around. :( I saw this on my way back , that is around 8.30pm. The victim was lying on the intersection itself.

Also , the first victim of the power cuts in Pune ofcourse, are the streetlights and traffic signals. Sad.

[amitwlele]

Originally Posted by sajo

Spotted yet another victim of the Bavdhan crossing near Praj. I think it was a two wheeler which was hit this time, probably fatal, from the resigned looks on everybody's faces around. :( I saw this on my way back , that is around 8.30pm. The victim was lying on the intersection itself.

I also passed that junction at around the same time. Saw the victim. Don't think it was fatal. Folks were talking to the victim lying on the floor and looking at the cars parked next to it were taking him to the hospital. But yes it is sad.

[sajo]

Originally Posted by amitwlele

I also passed that junction at around the same time. Saw the victim. Don't think it was fatal. Folks were talking to the victim lying on the floor and looking at the cars parked next to it were taking him to the hospital. But yes it is sad.

Ohh great. Good to know that all was fine. I assumed the worst , in the heat of the moment.

I also saw a badly banged up MH 12 BG registered Palio near Viva in, which looked like it had rolled over a couple of times at high speeds. This I saw last week.

[AvonA7]

Good to know that steps are taken to put things right, this article was published few days ago :

According to traffic inspector (administration), Vijay Kumar Palsule -

“These illegal and unwanted punctures are one of the reasons of road mishaps and traffic snarls in the city. We will follow up these issues with the civic authority until these dividers are closed," he said.

Source -
Gaping road dividers puncture safety on Pune roads - Mumbai - DNA

----------
Nagar road - starting from kharadi bypass crossing till the bund garden bridge, the no. of such dangerous break in road divider have come down, also the concrete slab/stones lying on the roads etc are a bit less compared to few weeks ago, not sure though if this has anything to do with the news article above, but its good, especially driving after sunset.

[Swanand Inamdar]

On Saturday night, I took the Sangamwadi bridge to go that side of town. What a lovely road and bypass that is. The only problem is a bad patch in between, with street lights missing. For those who are new to the road, its unsafe at high speeds.

Apparantly, the bad patch has been left like that for a purpose. The locals in that area have to say that due to that bad patch, the vehicles actually have no option but to slow down! Wah, what innovation!

[F150]

Originally Posted by Swanand Inamdar

The locals in that area have to say that due to that bad patch, the vehicles actually have no option but to slow down! Wah, what innovation!

Un-educated and People who have deposited their brain in safe lockers are prevalent.

[selfdrive]

Originally Posted by AvonA7

“These illegal and unwanted punctures are one of the reasons of road mishaps and traffic snarls in the city. We will follow up these issues with the civic authority until these dividers are closed," he said.

Finally they get it! by the way, there is a dangerous one just before Le Meridien towards Bund Garden. The stone lying on the fast lane is huge enough to trip a bus/ tuck at high speed. Also noticed two stones on the other side of the same puncture. How do you identify this? There are cyclists/ peds crossing that road at that puncture.

Wonder what will happen when they see Paud road. There are more punctures than divider stones

Originally Posted by Swanand Inamdar

Apparantly, the bad patch has been left like that for a purpose. The locals in that area have to say that due to that bad patch, the vehicles actually have no option but to slow down! Wah, what innovation!

Very true. IMHO it is the imaginary line where those private buses cannot go further to park.

[AvonA7]

a. ~4:30pm today - Flyover near Ranka Jewellers @Hadapsar : construction
work in progress (flyover roads), resulting in l-o-n-g traffic jam !

b. ~5 pm today-In front of Noble Hospital : Road construction work in progress !

Not sure why they do road construction/repair during office hours and not after 10 pm when the traffic is less.

--------------

~7:45 pm : Took ~ 40 minutes just to cross the 1/2 km Mundhwa Flyover towards Kharadi bypass. No particular reason for the traffic jam though, probably cops not in position due to rain !

~9:15pm - Took 1:05 hrs to cover a distance of 1.5 kms from the Bridge (near Mundhwa) till Amanora, reason - an accident, a hatchback involved ! Don't know the reason for the accident, however noticed a dumper truck parked near the accident place. Looking at the damaged car, guess the occupants are safe.

With NO Street lights (even if its present, only Tube Lights - next to nothing) and every minute some tractor/construction truck/cranes etc come out from all possible intersections (construction sites) not a surprise at all considering the heavy rain today.

Good News -:
- Buffaloes were out of sight today probably due to the rains
- rain with lightning and thunder with strong wind, not so frequent in Pune

[sajo]

There was water logging on some parts of Sus road (my bus had taken that route from Hinjewadi to Kothrud because the bypass highway seemed jammed till Sus exit and beyond). The rains were lashing away, and except for Sus road, there were no lights anywhere.
Pashan circle was a mess with nothing moving anywhere for a loong time, like 20 minutes. It seemed even more jammed up towards NCL. I had to wade through lots of flowing water everywhere on foot to finally reach home.
I wonder how Pune would hold up if it got Mumbai grade rains ?

[amitwlele]

Left office in Hinjewadi at 8 PM. Did not face any jams on the hinjewadi stretch and reached the highway pretty quickly. Was really happy and surprised considering the amount of rains. But the happiness was shortlived. After Sadanand Hotel there was a big jam because of 3-4 trucks which were stationary. Took 30 mins to cross Pashan exit from Sadanand Hotel. Total time on the highway yesterday 1 hour.