Heavy vehicles off Shivaji Road and Bajirao Road on weekends until Diwali

Pune Traffic Police have cancelled the relaxation that let heavy vehicles use Shivaji Road and Bajirao Road on weekends. The curb took effect on Sunday, October 25, and will stay until the Diwali festival is over.

Until now, trucks and other heavy vehicles were permitted on both roads on Saturdays and Sundays. That permission is now suspended. The order was signed on Saturday, October 24, by Dr Sandeep Bhajibhakare, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Pune City, who heads traffic management in the city.

Bhajibhakare said: "The permission given to heavy vehicles to ply on Shivaji Road and Bajirao Road on Saturdays and Sundays from October 25, 2026 until the end of Diwali is being withdrawn. Heavy vehicles will not be allowed on these roads."

Police are bracing for large crowds in the city's principal markets, among them Laxmi Road, Kumthekar Road, Kelkar Road and Tulshibaug. With the festival coming closer, the number of shoppers in these areas is expected to climb further. Shivaji Road and Bajirao Road are two important links between these market areas, and the order says that keeping heavy vehicles away from them is needed to keep traffic moving, avoid jams and protect people on foot.

The DCP added: "This decision is being taken to prevent traffic congestion, ensure the safety of citizens, manage traffic effectively and keep movement smooth in the market areas."

The change will hit truck drivers and operators of other heavy vehicles most directly. They will need to plan alternative routes on Saturdays and Sundays until Diwali ends. For shoppers, the result should be fewer large vehicles on the two roads on the busiest days of the week, so they can walk through the markets with less trouble.