Citizens say subways unsafe, unclean; PMC focuses on maintenance

After the PMC approved ₹2 crore in December 2021, they have spent the money in a phase-wise manner to maintain the subways and underpasses in the city

With the onslaught of monsoons, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has started the cleaning and repairs of the nine subways for pedestrians and nine for vehicles in various part of the city. However, residents allege that the pedestrian subways are not clean.

A closed subway at Swargate near Laxmi Narayan Theatre is covered in garbage. (Rahul Raut/HT PHOTO)

After the PMC approved ₹2 crore in December 2021, they have spent the money in a phase-wise manner to maintain the subways and underpasses in the city.

According to the PMC officials, they have appointed an agency to execute the work in subways near CoEP hostel in Shivajinagar and one in Vishrantwadi.

Susmita Shirke, superintendent engineering, engineering department, said, “The cleanliness of the subways is the responsibility of ward offices and we oversee the work that they do. In 2021, ₹2 crore was allocated to carry out basic maintenance of subways wherein tiles and such will be repaired. Other than that, we are urging people to make use of the subways to avoid walking into traffic situations especially in the monsoon.”

Ajay Wayase, executive engineer, traffic department, who oversees the maintenance of the subways and underpasses in Kothrud and Shivajinagar said, “Through a tender process we have given the work of maintenance to a competent company and we have weekly inspection visits to see that these subways are maintained in terms of lights and tiles in the walking sections. The drainage system is also been cleaned up before the monsoons.”

Similarly, Abhijeet Aambekar, executive engineer traffic department who covers Vishrantwadi, Yerawada and Pune station area said, “The process of daily cleaning the subways is carried by the maintenance team of the ward offices, but if they come across any problems like accumulated water or broken lights, then we immediately work on it.”

But, daily users of the subway feel that the subways need more than basic maintenance especially in the monsoon. Citizens allege that these subways emit a foul stench and are littered with garbage.

Pravin Jare, a student of Modern College, said, “I prefer to use the subway to cross the road, but I think that they should focus on maintaining cleanliness in the subway.” Jare is among the few people who still want to use the subway.

Shantanu Gosave, who also studies in the same college, said, “I prefer to use the pedestrian crossing, for using the subway becomes much more time-consuming as one has to go round about and it is often dirty.”

However, according to traffic experts in the city, most of the subways remain unused as they are not cleaned properly and also pose a danger to people when the lights do not work.

Harshad Abhyankar, director, Save Pune Traffic Movement, said, “People often do not want to be inconvenienced by having to go up or down and if they can cross the road without using the subway, they prefer doing that.”

Vivek Velankar, president, Sajag Nagrik Manch, said, “Before setting up any subway, the authorities should first study whether such a solution is even needed or not. Setting up anything becomes pointless without knowing whether it even solves the problem or not.”

Shirke however maintained that, “Every subway is set up only after carrying out research and not without it.”