PUNE The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Tuesday reopened Phadke subway in Kothrud, much to the relief of pedestrians. While Phadke subway was opened following complaints by civic activist Vivek Velankar, other subways in the city are either closed or filled up with mud and rainy water.
The city has a total of 17 subways for pedestrians. The subways at Deccan Gymkhana and Pune railway station has been operational with good response, but other such structures are lying idle due to lack of or mixed response.
Of the 17 subways, three are allowed only for vehicles with one each at Bharati Vidyapeeth on Satara road, Wakadewadi and the third near Pushpamangal hall close to Bibwewadi.
PMC additional engineer Shrinivas Bonala who is in charge of subways in the city accepted that some subways are closed citing various reasons.
“Some subways are indeed closed for various reasons, but right now I do not have the exact numbers. PMC had given the responsibility to regional ward offices to take care of the subways and take a call on reopening or keeping them closed. Even the maintenance work of the subways is carried out by regional ward offices,” said Bonala.
Residents and activists complained that PMC has not scientifically planned the subways, and so some of them did not get any response.
{{/usCountry}}Residents and activists complained that PMC has not scientifically planned the subways, and so some of them did not get any response.
{{/usCountry}}“PMC is interested only in erecting infrastructure and do not care for its maintenance. Ideally, the civic body should have carried out maintenance work during the pandemic. Even most of the underpass erected are unscientific. PMC didn’t check whether there is a need for an underpass or overhead bridge in the area. That’s why they are getting mixed responses from people. For example, PMC built a foot over bridge (FBO) at Mayur Colony in Kothrud and also installed a lift. But no one is bothered whether the lift is functional or not,” said Velankar.
One such subway on Jungli Maharaj road near Modern College has not been used as pedestrians find it inconvenient. It was reopened for a brief period before lockdown but was closed again as schools and colleges are closed. At many places, garbage and mud have blocked the way.
Earlier in May 2021, Parisar NGO had found the conditions of FOBs and subways across the city to be in a poor state in an independent survey conducted earlier this year.
The survey assessed the condition of 13 pedestrian subways and nine FOBs in Pune after a physical site visit and conditions using parameters defined in the city’s pedestrian policy.
The report submitted to the PMC showed that many facilities of subways and FOBs are poor in terms of lighting, ventilation, have no fire fighting equipment, and have water seepage.
Ramesh Bafna, a citizen said, “The subway at Pushpamangal was built for pedestrians first but allowed later for two-wheelers. It was filled with mud due to rains and has become very difficult to walk from there. By considering that citizens prefer to cross the road by taking a risk.”
The elected members are also pressing to reopen the subways though officials at PMC ward offices are reluctant.
“As schools, colleges and most of the offices working on less capacity, the traffic on roads is less. By considering this, PMC administration prefers to close the subways,” said a civic officer on condition of anonymity.
“I have given instructions to our department to carry out inspection of subways in the city. During lockdown for security reasons, all the subways were closed. As per citizens demand, some subways were reopened. We are conducting a survey mainly for electric works and whether tubes are operational, leakage and whether ward offices have provided the security,” said Bonala.
Other officers from Bibvewadi ward said on the condition of anonymity that the subway near Sai Temple at Swargate has been closed for years as it was used playing cards or became the den for drinkers.