ISSN(Online): 2319-8753

ISSN (Print): 2347-6710

International Journal of Innovative Research in Science,

Engineering and Technology
(An ISO 3297: 2007 Certified Organization)

Website: www.ijirset.com
Vol. 6, Issue 5, May 2017

Study of Road Traffic & Management: A Case

Study at Katraj and Nalstop Intersections In
Pune City
Gayatri S Choudekar 1, Rohit R Salgude 2
P.G. Student, Department of Civil Engineering, Maharashtra Institute of Technology, Pune, Maharashtra, India1
Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Maharashtra Institute of Technology, Pune, Maharashtra, India2

ABSTRACT: The increasing number of vehicles in the city, leading to traffic congestions is the major hurdle in the
development of the city. Thus there is a need for proper road traffic demand management for the city. The objectives of
the paper are tostudy the various problems faced by the city for two locations(viz. Katraj Intersection and Nalstop
Intersection), and also presents solution for the traffic demand management at the intersections. The study is based on
the road resources and characteristic of the urban traffic found from the video recordings done at the junction for 8 days
during the peak and non-peak hours. Based on the Vehicular Volume Dataand Turning Movement Survey observed at
these intersections, the paper discusses the solution to the increasing congestion and its effect on the traffic.

KEYWORDS: Non-Peak Hours,Peak Hours,Road Traffic Demand Management, Traffic Congestion, Turning
Movement Survey, Vehicular Volume Data

I. INTRODUCTION

The city of Pune is the second largest district in the state of Maharashtra and covers 5.10% of the total geographical
area of the state. The roads and rail networks connect the district with the state capital and surrounding district
headquarters. The road network of the city comprises of Express Highways, National Highways, State Highways,
Major District Roads and village roads.The total length of roads in the district is 13,642 km of roads(2001) of which
39.54% roads have Bituminous surface, 26.05% roads are of water bound macadam surface and 34.41% roads are other
surface roads i.e. unmetalled road.Of the total road length in the district, National Highways covers 331km road length;
State Highways cover 1368 km road length. Almost all the villages are well connected by water boundmacadam road.
Transport policies such as road widening, construction of flyovers, etc. have already beenimplemented in the city. But
the traffic congestions still exist as the policies do not meet the increasing traffic demand. The traditional solution of
“building more roads and constructing more road infrastructure to accommodate the increasing number of vehicles”
will not be able to meet the traffic demand management of the city. In order to improve the traffic demand management
and traffic planning of the city, it is necessary to guide the increasing traffic demand along with the road widening and
road infrastructure development. This can lead to a better, comfortable, reliable, economic as well as environment-
friendly solution to the existing problem.
The research work studies two intersections in the city (i.e. Katraj intersection and Nalstop intersection), the former
situated in the outskirts of the city and the later in the heart of the city. The two intersections are one of the busiest
intersections in the city. There are a number of factories and small scale furniture industries located in a radius of 10 to
15 km near Katraj intersection. Also the continuous development of the areas in the outskirts necessitates the import
and export of materials and other items from the bypass, thus increasing the number of multi axle vehicles at the Katraj
intersection. The intersection also has a main PMPML bus depot, thus making the intersection more congested. The
Nalstop intersection has a major district road going from Deccan to Kothrud and vice versa. In addition to it, is a road

Copyright to IJIRSET DOI:10.15680/IJIRSET.2017.0605254 8801

 ISSN(Online): 2319-8753
ISSN (Print): 2347-6710

International Journal of Innovative Research in Science,

Engineering and Technology
(An ISO 3297: 2007 Certified Organization)

Website: www.ijirset.com
Vol. 6, Issue 5, May 2017

coming from Mhatre Bridge at the Nalstop intersection. The traffic flows at the two intersections is as shown in the Fig.
1 (a) & (b).

Fig. 1 (a) Katraj Intersection Fig. 1 (b) Nalstop Intersection

II. RELATED WORK

The literature survey brought many technologies to the notice for implementing efficient traffic planning and
management. Increasing traffic at a higher pace is proving to be a big problem in the city of Pune. The developing
infrastructure for tackling the traffic problem has not eased the problem. Thus, there is a need for effective traffic
planning and management system for Pune city [6,9,10].There are various methods to tackle traffic such as Traffic
management by work flow technique, Intelligent Transport System (ITS) for Indian Cities, Intelligent BRT, ecoMove
Approach, Road traffic congestion in Developing World, BRT, Multi-agent system, and Quantitative problem approach
[12]. Linear regression analysis can be used to find the passenger car equivalent values for the intersection. Video
recording can be used to determine the exact number of vehicles passing at an intersection manually [2].

III. METHODOLOGY

To understand the flow of traffic and traffic characteristics at the two intersections, various surveys were carried out
manually as well as by conducting video recordings for 6 hours (peak hours during morning and evening; and non peak
hour during afternoon) over a period of 8 days. The vehicle volume survey and the turning movement survey were then
carried out at the two intersections. The data was then analysed manually using computer and video viewing
application. The survey was conducted for peak times during the morning and evening. The non peak hour during the
afternoon was also surveyed and the recordings of the same were also obtained.
A speed and delay survey at the intersection was also done by moving car observer method. The average delay time
required by vehicle at the junction is noted and the average speed of travel was also noted in the required formats.
From the data obtained, the PCU (Passenger Car Unit/ Passenger Car Equivalent) values are found according to Indian
standards. The graphs of hourly variation of traffic, traffic composition at the intersection were also plotted.

Copyright to IJIRSET DOI:10.15680/IJIRSET.2017.0605254 8802

 ISSN(Online): 2319-8753
ISSN (Print): 2347-6710

International Journal of Innovative Research in Science,

Engineering and Technology
(An ISO 3297: 2007 Certified Organization)

Website: www.ijirset.com
Vol. 6, Issue 5, May 2017

IV. ANALYSIS AND OBSERVATIONS

Following values for Passenger Car Equivalent1 were adopted for the analysis according to IRC 106-1990:

Table1: Passenger Car Equivalent

Type of Vehicle PCE

Two wheelers 0.5
Auto rickshaws 1.2
LCV and Cars 1.4
Buses & Trucks 2.2
Agricultural Tractor 4
and Trailers

From the survey done at Katraj intersection, following observations were noted about vehicle flow characteristics:
(a) For the traffic coming from Mumbai Bangalore Expressway Bypass, 75.9% traffic moves toward Kondhwa
Budruk and 24.1% traffic moves towards Katraj.
(b) For the traffic coming from Katraj, 19.3% traffic moves towards Mumbai Bangalore Expressway Bypass;
75.5% traffic moves towards Pune and remaining 5.2% traffic moves towards Kondhwa Budruk.
(c) For the traffic coming from Pune, 23.7% traffic moves towards Kondhwa Budruk; 45.6% traffic moves
towards Katraj; and remaining 30.7% traffic moves toward Mumbai Bangalore Expressway Bypass.
From the survey done at Nalstop intersection, following observations were noted about the vehicle flow characteristics:
(a) For the traffic coming from Kothrud, 58.5% traffic moves towards Deccan; and 41.5% traffic moves towards
Mhatre Bridge.
(b) For the traffic coming from Mhatre Bridge, 81.1% traffic moves towards Deccan; and 18.9% traffic moves
towards Kothrud.
(c) For the traffic coming from Deccan, 84.5% traffic moves towards Kothrud; and 15.5% traffic moves towards
Mhatre Bridge.
The variation of the traffic divided in two categories(viz. Public and Private vehicles) in peak and non peak hours in
terms of PCU is found and represented in the figure 2 and figure 3 below:

12000
10000
8000
6000 PRIVATE
4000
2000 PUBLIC
0
9 10 2 5 6 7 TOTAL
TO TO TO TO TO TO
10 11 3 6 7 8

Figure 2: Hourly variation of traffic at Katraj Intersection

Copyright to IJIRSET DOI:10.15680/IJIRSET.2017.0605254 8803

 ISSN(Online): 2319-8753
ISSN (Print): 2347-6710

International Journal of Innovative Research in Science,

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(An ISO 3297: 2007 Certified Organization)

Website: www.ijirset.com
Vol. 6, Issue 5, May 2017

15000
10000
PRIVATE
5000
PUBLIC
0
9 10 2 5 6 7 TOTAL
TO TO TO TO TO TO
10 11 3 6 7 8

Figure 3: Hourly variation of traffic at Nalstop Intersection

From the plots of hourly variation found and the turning movement survey done at the intersection, it was found that,
the traffic increasesdrastically and is at peak during the evening period of 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm.
From the survey done at the two intersections, following are the reasons for the traffic congestions observed at the two
intersections:
(a) The road capacity at the two intersections do not fulfil the increasing number of vehicles and the increasing
traffic demand.
(b) The traffic is improperly organised causing haphazard movement of traffic in all the directions.
(c) People do not follow the traffic rules and regulations, leading to congestions at the two intersections.
(d) Lane discipline is not followed by people that hampers the smooth flow of traffic at the intersection.
(e) Adding to the congestion are the Auto rickshaw drivers that drive very rough, risking the traffic moving
around.
(f) At the Katraj intersection, a large number of trucks, buses and multi axle vehicle flow which cause slow
movement of vehicle in traffic thus leading to longer delays at junction creating long queues.
(g) At the Katraj intersection, the Auto rickshaws and the six seaters occupy a large space which reduces the road
width by 3 meters.
(h) The Bus depot at Katraj also creates chaos at the intersection.
(i) The signal system on the Deccan Paud road is dis-organised.
(j) One of the major reasons for traffic congestions at the Nalstop intersection is the frequent Breakdown of BRT
which occurs generally at the rate of twice a week.
(k) The pedestrian traffic at the two intersections also create problem in smooth movement of traffic.

V. CONCLUSIONS

From the variation in traffic and the traffic characteristics observed at the Katraj intersection, it is found thatthe major
traffic volume moves from Pune to Katraj; Pune to Mumbai Pune Expressway bypass; Mumbai Pune Expressway
bypass to Kondhwabudruk; and from Katraj to Pune.
At the Nalstop intersection, the major traffic flow occurs from Kothrud to Deccan; Deccan to Kothrud; Kothrud to
Mhatre bridge; and from mhatre bridge to Deccan. The TDM strategies that can be applied at the two intersections are:
1. Increasing the Intelligent Transport System by redesigning the signal system at the two intersectionsto
accommodate the increasing traffic.
2. Traffic claiming can be done at the Katraj intersection by providing a Y-flyover, whose one arm shall be for
traffic coming from Pune and going to Katraj; and the other arm for traffic coming from Pune and going to
Mumbai Bangalore Expressway Bypass. In addition to it the signal system at Katraj intersection also needs to
be redesigned for the increasing traffic.

Copyright to IJIRSET DOI:10.15680/IJIRSET.2017.0605254 8804

 ISSN(Online): 2319-8753
ISSN (Print): 2347-6710

International Journal of Innovative Research in Science,

Engineering and Technology
(An ISO 3297: 2007 Certified Organization)

Website: www.ijirset.com
Vol. 6, Issue 5, May 2017

3. Traffic claiming can be done at the Nalstop intersection by providing a two way underpass for the traffic
coming from Kothrud and going to Deccan; and vice versa. In addition to it the signal system at Nalstop
intersection also needs to be redesigned for the increasing traffic.
4. The traditional Transit system at the Katraj intersection needs to be improved and the Depot needs to be
improved to facilitate number of buses.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The survey was done by video recordings. The Pune Traffic Police have coordinated immensely for the survey work.
Also guidance from NHAI officials was also taken to understand the analysis part.

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