Pune: After decades of inaction on Development Plan (DP) roads in Dhayari area of Pune, President Droupadi Murmu has stepped in to resolve the issue, directing the state’s Chief Secretary to take immediate action. The long-pending roads are seen as crucial to alleviating severe traffic congestion in the area, which has plagued residents for years.

Despite being proposed 28 years ago, the DP roads connecting Dhayari Gaon, Narhe, Nanded Phata, and Lagad Mala have remained incomplete. While ₹4-5 crore has been spent on the project, only 400 meters of the road linking Savitri Garden to Sinhagad Road has been built, leaving most of the work stalled.

Residents’ Efforts Yield Results

Frustrated by the PMC and state government’s inaction, residents escalated the matter to the President, sending a written complaint detailing the daily hardships caused by traffic congestion. The President’s office acknowledged the grievances and instructed the state administration to take swift action.

Dhananjay Benkar, city president of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), who led the campaign, expressed optimism about the outcome. “Repeated follow-ups with the PMC and state government yielded no results, which is why we approached the President. Her intervention has created hope that these DP roads will finally be completed,” he said.

Challenges and Neglect

Residents highlighted inadequate traffic management as a significant contributor to the congestion. The absence of sufficient personnel, non-functional traffic signals, and years of administrative neglect have worsened the problem. Despite repeated appeals, the PMC failed to prioritize the construction of the DP roads, prompting residents to take the matter into their own hands.

With the President’s directive, residents are hopeful that this long-standing issue will finally be addressed, paving the way for smoother traffic movement in Dhayari and its neighboring areas.