E-Paper
PMC claims collection of ₹4.81 cr. in fines for illegal road digging
According to the PMC road department, a total ₹4.81 crore has been collected in fines for unauthorised road excavation over the past six years
PUNE: While the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) claims to have collected ₹4.81 crore in fines for unauthorised road digging over the past six years, no penalty was imposed on the internet service provider (company) for laying optic cables through stormwater drains in June this year which caused flooding in parts of the city.
According to the PMC road department, a total ₹4.81 crore has been collected in fines for unauthorised road excavation over the past six years. However, no penalty was imposed for laying internet cables through stormwater drains at Sinhagad Road, Baner and Kothrud last month.
On June 8, heavy rain along with gusty winds caused flooding in many areas of the city and disrupted daily life. Sinhagad Road almost turned into a river due to the flooding and residents and commuters were greatly inconvenienced.
While citizens blamed PMC for incomplete pre-monsoon work, an inspection by the sewage department revealed that optic cables had been laid through stormwater drains preventing the drainage of rainwater. The road and drainage departments cut off these unauthorised cables but the internet (service provider) company resumed laying cables without permission.
Thereafter, PMC commissioner Dr Rajendra Bhosle instructed that police action be taken against officials of the said company. Accordingly, a complaint was filed against Sunil Deshmukh and Dinesh Patil of Jio. In this regard, Naresh Raikar, executive engineer of the PMC road department, submitted an application to the Parvati and Sinhagad Road police stations. Meanwhile, citizens demanded that the concerned internet company be fined. However, no punitive action has been taken against the company till date.
On his part, Naresh Raikar, executive engineer of the road department (Sinhagad Road), said, “We have given a letter to the police department for illegal laying of internet cables through the stormwater drain at Sinhagad Road. We have not yet imposed any fine however.”
Sudarshan Jagdale, an office-bearer of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) from Baner-Balewadi, alleged that the PMC and the internet company are in cahoots. He claimed that the PMC charges private companies around ₹12,000 per metre for road excavation due to which the road department avoids penalising cable companies or involving the police. Although the department has contacted the police, it has not pursued filing an FIR against the internet company, Jagdale said.
“This is causing problems for the public leading to waterlogging because internet cables are being laid through stormwater lines. It will not stop. After some time, the internet companies will follow the same practice. They know that the PMC will not take any action at all,” he said.
