Digging work creates inconvenience to Karve Road residents

PMC's work on laying a pipeline for the 24x7 water supply project at Shailesh Bridge near Alankar police chowky in Pune is causing traffic congestion on Karve Road, inconveniencing residents. The project is unlikely to be completed before monsoon.

Even as the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has assured that all digging work will be completed before the monsoon, there are many locations where the civic body’s work is unlikely to be completed by the stipulated time. One such stretch is Karve Road, an entire lane of which has been shut down due to the ongoing work, causing frequent traffic jams and inconveniencing the public no end.

At Karve Road, an entire lane has been shut down due to the ongoing work, causing frequent traffic jams (HT PHOTO)

The PMC water department is laying a pipeline for the 24x7 water supply project at Shailesh Bridge near Alankar police chowky leading from Mehendale Garage Road to Karvenagar, which is one of the busiest areas of the city. According to residents of the area, one side of the road has been dug up for the last one-and-a-half months leading to traffic congestion on a regular basis.

Saritha Keskar, a resident of Karvenagar, said, “We are facing a huge traffic problem in this area as the road has been closed for traffic. We have to take a longer route to reach our homes. It is a waste of time and money. The PMC should set a deadline to complete such work to avoid inconveniencing the people.”

Amol Bhandwalkar, another resident, said, “The PMC has taken very long to complete the work. While it is essential work, the PMC should consider the residents’ problems. For more than a week now, there is no work going on. If at all the work is completed, the PMC must restore the road and open it for traffic. Fortunately, there have been no fatal accidents till date. We now want the road to be completely restored and opened for the public.”

Whereas civic activist Vivek Velankar said, “Although it has been 15 days since the completion of this work, the road has still not been repaired and opened for traffic. Due to this, there is a huge traffic jam during peak hours in the morning and evening.”