Misuse of footpaths by errant two-wheeler riders is a common problem in Pune, like most cities in India. The two-wheeler riders often use sidewalks as a convenient shortcut to beat the traffic as the roads remain chock-a-block with vehicles. Today a middle-aged woman took the initiative to deal with such scofflaws, refraining them from using spaces meant for pedestrians.
In a video which has gone viral on Twitter, a middle-aged lady is seen standing on the pavement and stopping the bikers from passing through the footpath to avoid a traffic jam. Though she is inaudible in the video shared on Twitter, it is evident that she lectures the bikers trying to flout traffic rules.
She is later joined by two other senior citizens. All three are seen standing on the pavement blocking the way and coercing the bikers to use the road instead.
Netizens seem to have fallen in love with this Pune aunty for her efforts. While many took to the microblogging site to hail her, some also pointed out Pune Police’s callousness in dealing with this menace.
Kudos to her!!!
— Uncommon Man!!! (@PRV2204) February 21, 2020
Hatsoff to this lady..BUT What is the Police doing? @CPPuneCity
— Neha (@IamNRGe) February 21, 2020
Great Mam..
But shameless people doesn’t care about others. And this situation created due to Police Law & Order.— VINAYAKK V (@vinayakk_v) February 21, 2020
Illegal parking on footpaths to riding on the wrong side and on pavements, rampant traffic rule violations have been a consistent problem in many cities in the country especially Pune. To deal with this menace, the Pune traffic police have adopted various measures. In one such attempt, it had got big cement blocks fixed on the footpath near Surymukhi Chauk on way to Khaire Wadi in Pune last year, so that the footpahts can’t be used by two wheeler riders.
Big cement blocks were fix on footpath near surymukhi chauk on way to khaire wadi to stop vehicle’s driving on footpath.#PuneCityTrafficPolice pic.twitter.com/20oZ4nuGyg
— Pune City Traffic Police (@PuneCityTraffic) October 6, 2019
According to recent research published under the US-based organisation, National bureau of economic research (NBER), Pune is the seventh most congested city in India. Moreover, the TomTom Traffic Index had last year kept Pune at number five in the global ranks in congestion levels.
Read- Gadkari has shown a mirror to We-the-Dodgers of traffic rules
It is widely believed that Pune has its unique traffic issues as it is alleged that Punekars do not have traffic sense. In fact, this has also been the butt of jokes on Twitter in the past.
Good night again folks 🙂
Gibraltar Int. Airport
Defy Pune bikers to go there and jump red light! pic.twitter.com/0OyGQRd4lq— DK Cooper (@DKCooper2) September 7, 2015
In 2018, the Pune traffic police in its effort to inculcate some traffic discipline in locals had zeroed in on issuing witty and humourous yet effective messages on the lines of the famous ‘Puneri Patya’ to bring about some traffic sense.
