PMC on alert mode after heavy discharge from Khadakwasla Dam

Last year, water from the drainage system had entered Ekta Nagari, inundating homes and forcing residents to evacuate

With memories of last year’s flooding in Ekta Nagari still fresh, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) took extra precautions on Tuesday after continuous rainfall and discharge from the Khadakwasla reservoir raised the risk of flooding in the area.

Meanwhile, heavy showers throughout the day led to waterlogging in several parts of the city and traffic snarls during peak hours. (VIDEO GRAB)

Last year, water from the drainage system had entered Ekta Nagari, inundating homes and forcing residents to evacuate. On Tuesday, water again gushed through a drainage line near Shivpushpa Chowk, close to Ekta Nagari, triggering concern among residents.

As water levels rose near Shivpushpa Society, the PMC’s disaster management department activated the public announcement system to warn citizens of a possible flood-like situation and appealed to them not to panic. A special help desk was also set up at Ekta Nagari to respond quickly if flooding occurred.

Additional municipal commissioner Omprakash Diwate said, “The water is coming from the drainage line in Dwarka Society, which lies in a low-lying area. Though the water did not spread further, the dam discharge was still on. The fire department has been deployed in Ekta Nagari, and staff from the Sinhagad ward office are also on site.”

Additional commissioner Prithviraj BP added, “All agencies were on alert. The public address system was activated, and vans were deployed to inform citizens about water discharge and precautionary measures.”

Meanwhile, heavy showers throughout the day led to waterlogging in several parts of the city and traffic snarls during peak hours. The PMC’s drainage department worked to ensure a quick discharge of water from critical spots.