PMC mandates nod for borewells along underground metro corridor after drilling mishap

The affected stretch is part of the six-km underground section of the Pune Metro, which runs through key areas such as Kasba Peth, Budhwar Peth and Shukrawar Peth up to Swargate

After the water leakage incident near Khadak Police Station, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has made it mandatory for residents and developers to obtain permission before undertaking borewell drilling or redevelopment works along underground metro corridors.

After the water leakage incident near Khadak Police Station, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has made it mandatory for residents and developers to obtain permission before undertaking borewell drilling. (REPRESENTATIVE PIC)

Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited (Maha-Metro) filed a police complaint after a borewell drilling incident at a private property in Shukrawar Peth near the police station punctured an underground tunnel on the PCMC–Swargate stretch, leading to water seepage inside the metro corridor.

The affected stretch is part of the six-km underground section of the Pune Metro, which runs through key areas such as Kasba Peth, Budhwar Peth and Shukrawar Peth up to Swargate.

Municipal commissioner Naval Kishore Ram said the civic body will frame standard operating procedures (SOPs) for borewell work and redevelopment of old structures in areas above underground metro lines.

“Hundreds of people use the metro daily. It is a critical public transport system and any obstruction to its functioning is unacceptable,” he said.

Metro officials said that route markers will be installed along both sides of elevated as well as underground corridors to clearly indicate the alignment of the network.

Atul Gadgil, director, Maha-Metro, said the proposed route markers will function on the lines of those installed by Maharashtra Natural Gas Limited (MNGL) for underground gas pipelines in the city.

“We will send notices from next week to housing societies and residents for awareness about the risk factor of borewell digging without taking permission from PMC and Maha-Metro. We have identified more than 2,000 properties in the periphery of five kilometres of underground metro stretch,” Gadgil said on Saturday.

PMC plans to place public notices in housing societies and install information boards at construction sites to alert developers and contractors about metro infrastructure.