E-Paper
PMC continues digging roads for 24/7 water supply project despite rains
The work is being done in areas such as Apte road, Karvenagar, Baner, Balewadi, Warje, Hadapsar, Kalyaninagar and Katraj-Kondhwa
PUNE Towards completion of its ambitious 24 x 7 water supply project, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is continuing to aggressively dig roads despite the monsoon. However, road digging in various parts of the city, especially in areas where the roads are already narrow, is creating obstacles for the traffic as well as pedestrians.
For instance, the residents of Kalyani nagar have been greatly inconvenienced by the dug-up trenches in lane numbers 6 and 7 for the past 10 days. On Sunday, they received a message from the local corporator, Yogesh Mulick, updating and assuring them that these hurdles are temporary. “Storm water pipes are being laid in Kalyani nagar and the work is progressing as fast as it can. The PMC road department has already started work in lane number 7 and tarring of the road will be completed at the earliest. This is for the 24 x 7 water project but the other work is to ensure that there is no water accumulation during heavy rain,” said Mulick.
Aniruddha Pawaskar, head of the water department, PMC, said, “We are continuing with digging in several areas of the city for laying the pipeline for 24 x 7 water supply. We have stopped work on the main roads and in the peth areas. We have received a blanket permission from the municipal commissioner to continue with the work during monsoons as well.”
Pawaskar said, “This time instead of taking up longer trenches, we are working on a patchwork of shorter trenches along the roads. Fifty metre of work and we are laying the pipeline immediately after which we are smoothening the road with concrete.”
The work in crowded areas such as Apte road, Karve nagar, Baner, Balewadi, Warje, Hadapsar, Kalyani nagar and Katraj-Kondhwa road is being overseen by additional people who are also helping manage traffic and helping others avoid skidding on wet, loose surfaces.
Nandkishor Jagtap, executive engineer, who is looking after the 24 x 7 water supply project, said, “We intimate the road department when we begin work and they are aware of this permission. We are working throughout the monsoon and not taking a break to finish the work. We are already delayed by one-and-a-half year due to Covid. The work was to be completed by February 2023 but now we will complete by July 2023.” Jagtap also appealed to residents to bear with these hurdles during the rains, and not hesitate to contact the PMC in case of any problems due to the digging of roads.
