The Union Ministry of Road Transport had given clear instructions that unless there was a clear violation of traffic rules, vehicles should not be stopped just to check documents. (File Photo)Ruling BJP legislator Siddharth Shirole on Wednesday urged the state government to start a special helpline or app for citizens to lodge complaints regarding problems faced by them when dealing with traffic police on state highways. Shirole cited traffic police harassing citizens travelling on highways in the state as the reason for the helpline and app.“There have been increasing complaints that traffic police stop vehicles on highways for no reason, harass drivers and often make unauthorised charges. These types of things should be stopped,” said Shirole, raising the issue in the ongoing session of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly in Mumbai.The BJP legislator demanded that the government should take appropriate action to address the issue as it sends a wrong impression to tourists visiting the state in addition to being a waste of crucial time to travellers.The Union Ministry of Road Transport had given clear instructions that unless there was a clear violation of traffic rules, vehicles should not be stopped just to check documents.However, Shirole said, “Still, this rule is being violated by the traffic police. The traffic police stop vehicles in front of toll booths or at some other places on the highway and ask for documents. Even though the documents are on ‘DigiLocker’ or ‘M-Transportation’, they are not accepted, and the time of passengers is wasted by citing technical reasons.”Passengers are kept waiting for hours over seat belts, car colour, or minor technical issues, which causes hardship to senior citizens, patients and women passengers, Shirole said.“Such harassment by the traffic police is adversely affecting tourism and the image of the state. For ordinary drivers, unnecessary checks often turn into unauthorised charges,” he said.Story continues below this adIn the Maharashtra legislative assembly, Shirole represents the Shivajinagar assembly constituency which is part of Pune city. Incidentally, the highway stretches in Pune district face a lot of traffic jams mainly during weekends on holidays. Recently, the Mumbai-Pune expressway was blocked for over 24 hours after a tanker carrying chemical gas had overturned on the highway. Thus, the citizens travelling between Pune and Mumbai were stuck for hours on the highway causing grave inconvenience.The Pune city has connectivity to other districts and states through various highways including Pune-Satara, Pune-Solapur, Pune-Ahilyanagar and Pune-Nashik highway. Most of these highways face traffic jams on a regular basis. The highways are also prominent spots for traffic police to take action against violators of traffic rules.Ajay Jadhav is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, Pune. With over 22 years of experience in the industry, he is a highly specialized journalist whose work focuses on the intersection of urban infrastructure, governance, and sustainability. Professional Background Role: As Assistant Editor, he plays a key role in the editorial direction of the Pune bureau, specializing in urban policy and its direct impact on citizens. Education: He holds a Master’s degree in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a PG Diploma in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). He also studied at the prestigious Fergusson College. Impactful Reporting: He is credited with research-based articles on conservancy staff (waste workers) that influenced national policy for better working conditions. He is also known for exposing the contrast between high-end infrastructure (like helipads for leaders) and the lack of basic amenities like schools in their home districts. Personal Interests: An avid trekker and sports enthusiast, his personal interest in the outdoors often informs his reporting on environmental protection and sustainable development. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) His reporting in late 2025 has been dominated by the upcoming January 2026 Civic Polls in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, and the city's infrastructure boom: 1. Political Analysis (Civic Elections 2026) "Not friendly but a bitter fight lies ahead between BJP and NCP for PMC, PCMC" (Dec 22, 2025): A detailed look at the intense rivalry between the Mahayuti partners as they prepare for the January 15 municipal elections. "Pune civic polls: Big blow to NCP, NCP(SP) as leaders switch to BJP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on high-profile poaching and party-hopping ahead of the elections. "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): Analyzing the results of the local self-government body elections as a precursor to the main civic polls. 2. Infrastructure & Urban Development "Looking Ahead at 2026: Pune to see inauguration of much-awaited Hinjewadi to Shivajinagar metro route" (Dec 22, 2025): An "outlook" piece on the critical Metro Line 3 project expected to finish by March 2026. "Building Pune: PMC to construct double-decker bridge over Mula-Mutha River" (Dec 18, 2025): Detailing a major project aimed at easing traffic between Hadapsar and Kharadi. "Condition of highway from Pune to Kolhapur to improve in a year: Gadkari" (Dec 4, 2025): Reporting on the Union Minister’s assurances regarding one of the state's most critical transport corridors. 3. Civic Governance & Environment "Install sensors, LED indicators at construction sites within 15 days: PMC to builders" (Dec 16, 2025): A follow-up to the "Breathless Pune" series, reporting on new mandates for builders to monitor air quality in real-time. "Errors in electoral rolls: PMC corrects data of 92,466 voters" (Dec 16, 2025): Tracking the administrative efforts to clean up the voter lists before the 2026 elections. Signature Style Ajay Jadhav is known for accountability journalism. His work often bridges the gap between high-level policy and the "ground zero" reality of Pune's residents. He is particularly focused on Sustainable Development, ensuring that as Pune grows into a "Bharat Mandapam" style destination (referring to his report on the Lohegaon project), its environmental and social safeguards remain intact. X (Twitter): @ajay_khape ... Read MoreClick here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd