Commissioners conduct site visit of waterlogged spots in Pune, propose action plan

After two hours of incessant rains brought the city to a standstill, residents criticised the municipal administration over waterlogged roads and flooding in various areas

After two hours of incessant rains brought the city to a standstill, residents criticised the municipal administration over waterlogged roads and flooding in various areas. Taking cognisance of this, the Pune municipal commissioner Vikram Kumar has instructed all three additional commissioners to do site visits of waterlogged areas and propose an action plan.

Women and children from the slums near Mutha riverbed try to remove water that entered their homes due to rains and increased water level in the river on Wednesday. (Rahul Raut/HT PHOTO)

Additional municipal commissioner Vilas Kanade said, “As instructed by the municipal commissioners we conducted site visits. We also had a meeting with municipal commissioner Vikram Kumar on Tuesday and discussed short- and long-term plans to avoid waterlogging and flash floods. Our first plan of action is to clean debris, garbage, mud and other things due to which there is waterlogging. We will also clean culverts, pipes.”

“For long term plans, we proposed laying of stormwater lines. At some localities, the width of the stormwater lines is less and we will change that. The civic body will also identify spots where it is necessary to build culverts and allow water to flow easily from nullahs,” added Kanade.

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) also held protests in the city and criticised the BJP for flooding due to the past five years.