‘If pothole kills, register FIR’ - Dudi puts Hinjewadi officials, contractor on notice

Dudi, who reviewed road and traffic-related works in the Chakan-Hinjewadi area on Friday, directed the concerned agencies to complete all pending pothole repairs within seven days

Pune district collector Jitendra Dudi has directed the police to register an FIR against the concerned executive engineer and contractor if a person dies in an accident caused by an unrepaired pothole while putting road agencies on notice after Hinjewadi missed the September 30 deadline to make its roads pothole-free. Dudi, who reviewed road and traffic-related works in the Chakan-Hinjewadi area on Friday, directed the concerned agencies to complete all pending pothole repairs within seven days, making it very clear that the repairs should be durable and not just temporary patchwork.

Dudi directed the MIDC and PMRDA to jointly survey the drainage network in Chakan, citing waterlogging as a major reason for the continued deterioration of roads. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

“If a person loses their life in an accident caused by a pothole, a case should be registered directly against the concerned executive engineer and contractor. Road safety cannot be compromised because of negligence or delays in completing repair work,” Dudi warned, taking a dim view of any such lapses.

“Instructions had already been issued to make Hinjewadi pothole-free by September 30. Despite the deadline having passed, the work remains incomplete. The remaining potholes must be repaired within seven days. The concerned agencies will be held accountable for any further delay,” Dudi said.

The directions were issued during a meeting of the high-level task force reviewing the works in Chakan and Hinjewadi. Resident deputy collector Jyoti Kadam, deputy commissioner of police Vikrant Deshmukh; and officials from the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC), Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA), municipal corporations, police, highways and other departments attended the meeting.

Dudi directed the MIDC and PMRDA to jointly survey the drainage network in Chakan, citing waterlogging as a major reason for the continued deterioration of roads. “Merely filling potholes will not solve the problem. A permanent stormwater and drainage system needs to be planned so that water does not remain on the roads,” he said.

Furthermore, Dudi directed the agencies to take action against unauthorised structures over drains. “Where structures have been constructed with permission, officials should prepare technically feasible plans to divert the drains through the concerned properties, he said. Dudi directed the authorities to continue their anti-encroachment drives and ensure that the removed encroachments do not return.

The meeting also focused on traffic-planning in the rapidly-developing Chakan and Hinjewadi areas. Dudi directed officials to use current traffic volumes, movement patterns and projected growth while designing roads and deciding on medians, U-turns and junctions on national highways. He said traffic data analysis and simulation should be incorporated into road planning rather than undertaken as a separate exercise after projects are designed. The district administration also directed that an intelligent traffic management system (ITMS) be implemented in Chakan and Hinjewadi.

The meeting discussed congestion caused by private travel buses, state transport (ST) buses, and other vehicles stopping on highways and service roads to pick up or drop off passengers. Dudi directed officials to stop such unauthorised halts and ensure that passenger boarding and deboarding take place only at designated bus stands or depots. Dudi asked officials to identify suitable locations for authorised bus stops on service roads wherever necessary. PMPML bus stops located on highways should also be shifted to service roads wherever feasible, Dudi directed.