PMC wants Rs11.96 crore for retaining wall on civic properties along Ambil Odha

PUNE: The Pune municipal administration has demanded diversion of funds to the tune of Rs11

PUNE: The Pune municipal administration has demanded diversion of funds to the tune of Rs11.96 crore towards erection of compound walls for Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC)-owned properties damaged due to flooding of the Ambil odha, a stream that flows from Katraj through Bibvewadi, K K market, Padmavati, Aryaneshwar, Sahakarnagar, Dandekar vasti and Rajendra nagar to merge with the Mutha river near the Vaikunth crematorium.

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While the PMC has already undertaken works on the Ambil odha, including completion of the bridge and widening of the stream wherever possible, the civic administration has now demanded that Rs11.96 crore worth of funds be diverted towards construction of a retaining wall for PMC properties along the Ambil odha. There are several PMC properties along the Ambil odha that need fencing as protection against flooding, according to the civic administration. A proposal to that effect has been put forward before the standing committee.

Earlier too, the PMC had put forth a proposal before the state government asking to help private citizens construct compound walls that had been damaged by inundation of the Ambil odha. However, the proposal did not get a nod and owners of private bungalows went ahead with constructing the retaining walls on their own except for some old housing societies which did not have the necessary funds. At the time, the political leadership was willing to help private citizens and mayor Murlidhar Mohol announced it several times but the plan did not go through as there was no provision to help private societies.

Meanwhile, some civic officials who did not wish to be identified said that three months into the rainy season and works on the Ambil odha were still not complete due to delay in the tendering and work order process.