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PMC floats over 100 rain-related tenders with monsoon around the corner
The civic body’s rain preparedness was exposed when the city witnessed inundated areas, waterlogged roads and water entering shops and homes in low-lying localities
The Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) claim that it has completed pre-monsoon works falls flat after it floated tenders for more than 100 works of drainage chamber repair and cleaning at various wards.
The civic body’s rain preparedness was exposed when the city witnessed inundated areas, waterlogged roads and water entering shops and homes in low-lying localities, including Dhanori, Kalas, Wadgaonsheri, Sinhagad Road, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Bibvewadi and Market Yard, during the pre-monsoon showers on Saturday.
Leaders of political parties had met PMC municipal commissioner Rajendra Bhosale on Monday seeking his personal attention to completion of rain-related projects.
According to a civic official, pre-monsoon work includes cleaning of nullahs, drainage lines, stormwater drains and chambers. Generally, the rain preparedness works begin by April and are completed by May 31 of the year. However, PMC failed to meet the May 31 deadline this year.
After the poll code was lifted, ward offices of Dhankavdi-Sahakarnagar, Yerawada-Kalas-Dhanori, Dhankavdi-Sahakarnagar and Ahmednagar Road-Wadgaonsheri floated tenders on Tuesday for drainage line and chambers cover repairs, clean stormwater lines and replace drainage chambers.
Chandrasen Nagtilak, assistant municipal commissioner, Ahmednagar Road-Wadgaonsheri, said, “We have floated ₹2- ₹3 lakh tenders for annual maintenance and repair of drainage lines and chambers that is carried out throughout the year.”
Rajesh Guram, assistant municipal commissioner, Dhankavdi ward office, said, “The tenders are not related to pre-monsoon works.”
Vijay Kumbhar, president, Surajya Sangharsha Samiti, said, “Is PMC carrying out monsoon works when the rainy season is around the corner? Ward offices floated about 134 tenders today. The rain preparedness works should have been completed before the poll code was enforced.”
Baban Mistri, a resident of Bibvewadi, said, “Rainwater entered housing societies and slums, and waterlogged roads in our area during the monsoon season in 2019 and 2020. PMC is playing with people’s lives by ignoring their pleas.”
