PMC gets go-ahead from defence authorities for pre-monsoon work
The decision was taken during a joint meeting held on Thursday at the Southern Command between defence officials and PMC representatives
The defence authorities have granted permission to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to carry out essential pre-monsoon work in several defence-owned areas across the city.
The decision was taken during a joint meeting held on Thursday at the Southern Command between defence officials and PMC representatives.
The areas that have been given clearance for the work include Bombay Engineering Group (BEG), General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF) Centre, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Pune, and the National Chemical Laboratory (NCL) at Pashan, said officials.
Prithviraj BP, additional municipal commissioner, PMC, said the meeting was part of the pre-monsoon preparations.
“The defence authorities have acknowledged the importance of these measures and have agreed to cooperate with PMC for the safety and convenience of Pune citizens,” he said.
According to the PMC officials, a nallah from the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Society, Yerawada, flows into the BEG premises on its eastern side. However, the natural flow of this nallah has been blocked within BEG, which causes rainwater to flood homes in the society during heavy rainfall. The PMC had sought permission to widen and clean the nallah within BEG to restore its natural flow and prevent water from entering residential areas, which has been permitted.
Furthermore, heavy rainwater flows from the Charholi Hills located inside the GREF centre and rushes towards Laxminagar Society, Dhanori. The water brings rocks and debris, affecting traffic and flooding roads, houses, and shops on Dhanori Road. The PMC plans to construct a small lake within the GREF premises to trap rainwater and reduce the flood impact on Dhanori Road was also accepted.
Another critical site for waterlogging flagged was the IISER, Pashan. During monsoon, run-off water from the IISER campus overflows onto the Baner main road, as there is no proper drainage system in place. The PMC officials will survey the IISER catchment area and carry out the cleaning of nalas and stormwater drains. If needed, new infrastructure for rainwater collection and disposal will be built.
Lastly, a nallah from the NCL school area flowing towards Baner Road remains uncleared, causing rainwater from the NCL catchment area to flood Baner Road. Currently, NCL does not permit PMC to carry out cleaning. The PMC has recommended the cleaning of this nallah and the construction of stormwater collection chambers and drainage connectivity within the NCL premises, they said.
Prithviraj BP said that last year there was a lot of flooding in the Laxmi Nagar society in Dhanori and we want to prevent similar incidents in future.
“Two to three points were raised by the defence authorities like they wanted desilting of Bhairoba Nallah. All these have been considered, and the pre-monsoon work will immediately be undertaken to ensure the city is better prepared for the rains,” he said.