Pune commissioner instructs completion of pre-monsoon works before stipulated time

Municipal Commissioner Vikram Kumar recently held a meeting with all department heads and concerned officers and warned them against delaying pre-monsoon works this year

To avoid a repeat of 2022 when waterlogging brought the city to a standstill several times during the monsoon, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has begun its monsoon preparedness drive rather early this year.

To avoid a repeat of 2022 when waterlogging brought the city to a standstill several times during the monsoon, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has begun its monsoon preparedness drive rather early this year. (HT FILE PHOTO)

Municipal Commissioner Vikram Kumar recently held a meeting with all department heads and concerned officers and warned them against delaying pre-monsoon works this year. “Last year, the civic administration was unable to complete the pre-monsoon works on time and citizens had to suffer. There were a lot of complaints regarding nullahs left unclean and subpar stormwater lines. The roads too were not in good condition as various works were still underway. To avoid all these things, the administration has to complete the works early this time. We still have two months in hand and the administration needs to finish all the pre-monsoon works before the stipulated time this year. Usually, the monsoon starts in the first week of June,” Kumar cautioned during the meeting.

Furthermore, Kumar directed the road department to finish all road-digging works till April 30 so that there would be sufficient time for resurfacing. When asked, the drainage department stated that work on four out of a total 23 basins in the city had been completed. The commissioner instructed that work should begin on nearly 243 spots in the city that are prone to waterlogging (also Ghole Road, Tilak Road, J M Road, F C Road and Bhavani Peth). Whereas PMC officials said that CCTV cameras are being installed at these critical spots to monitor waterlogging. Jetting and other machines, too, are being assigned round-the-clock, they said. Kumar instructed to being the desilting of Jambulwadi, Pashan and Katraj lakes as that would help store maximum rainwater and reduce the pressure on various streams.