Raging Pawana, Mula and Indrayani Rivers Force PCMC Police to Shut Down Bridges and Roads
As Pune and the surrounding areas are being continuously being battered by heavy rains since the past few days, the rivers have swollen and are breaching their banks and flooding nearby areas.
Traffic movement is either entirely stopped or moving at an extremely slow speed at the four major highways connecting Pimpri Chinchwad to other areas:
- Pune-Mumbai New Highway (Expressway)
- Old Mumbai-Pune Highway
- Pune-Nashik Highway
- Chakan-Shikrapur Highway
All the three rivers, Pawana, Mula and Indrayani, flowing through Pimpri Chichwad are flooded and their waters are not overflowing their banks. As a result, the PCMC police have closed down four bridges to prevent any mishap from happening. These bridges are:
- Morya Gosavi Bridge (Chinchwad)
- Old Indrayani Bridge at Alandi
- New Indrayani Bridge at Alandi
- Dabhade Sarkar Bridge
The Pimpri Chinchwad Police have also enforced a complete entry ban for all types of vehicles heading into the holy town of Alandi.
Severe waterlogging has paralyzed local traffic flow at Nashik Phata, Punawale, and the Tathawade underpass.
Pimpri Chichwad Police Advisory
The Pimpri Chinchwad Police Commissionerate has issued a strict instruction for citizens not to leave their homes unless absolutely necessary and to avoid all non-essential travel. Commuters are strictly prohibited from parking or stopping vehicles at intersections, bus stops, bridges, pedestrian pathways, or waterlogged areas. Two-wheelers must not stop on active, moving roadways.
Authorities are advising citizens to prefer public transport, maintain absolute lane discipline, and strictly avoid driving in the wrong direction. Heavy vehicles are banned from parking on roadsides. Bus, auto-rickshaw, and cab drivers have been ordered not to crowd chowk corners or stop over the traffic stop-lines.
Drivers should reduce speeds and proceed with extreme caution when passing through school zones, market areas, bus stops, and hospital premises.
