With a view address the long-pending issues of traffic congestion in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad, the Sakal Media Group (SMG) has taken the initiative to form Pune Transport Forum. The forum which will see the participation of citizens, representatives from various NGOs and government officials will be inaugurated on Saturday.
The Sakal Media Group has always taken the lead in raising various social issues. It believes that if the problem of traffic congestion is solved, the city will be able to develop faster and will bring a relief to Puneites. To address the traffic problems, the Sakal Media Group has published a lot of material on related issues in the form of news articles, stories, etc. Apart from writing about these issues, the Sakal Media Group also organised the ‘Pune Bus Day’ on November 1, 2012, appealing to Puneites to travel by bus.
This highlighted the fact that if the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Ltd, (PMPML) services are improved, it will help reduce the number of private vehicles on streets. After the Bus Day, every month, the Sakal Media Group analysed the working of PMPML and made efforts to ensure that its working improves.
Considering the rising population and expansion of the city, there is a need to focus on people following traffic rules, PMPML, Metro, BRT, ring road, high-speed corridors, High Capacity Mass Transit Route (HCMTR), cycle track, pedestrians, school transport, among other things.
For this, apart from creating awareness amongst citizens, following up on important traffic-related issues with the help of experts, NGOs and government officials has become the need of the hour. For this, the Pune Transport Forum is being established. The way forward for this forum will be decided on Saturday.
Also present will be Pune Guardian Minister Girish Bapat, Mayor Prashant Jagtap, Pune Municipal Commissioner Kunal Kumar, Pimpri Chinchwad Mayor Shakuntala Dharade and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare.
Officials from the PMC and PCMC, chairman of the education board, representatives from traffic police, officials from transport management squad of the corporation, officials from Regional Transport Office (RTO), officials from Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation, officials from town planning department, officials from Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation and railways, transport-related organisations, labour representatives, representatives from auto unions and school van associations will also attend the event.
Also NGOs, representatives from Teachers and Principals’ Association, parents’ associations, representatives from the business sector, MCCIA, representatives from Pune Merchants Chamber, representatives from Ganesh mandals are among others will also attend the event.
