PMC begins pre-monsoon work early to avoid waterlogging doom in Pune

The drive, which began on April 1, will cover all 15 wards. The drainage department has started work on storm lines repair, cleaning of drainage and water lines and other general maintenance work

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has begun its pre-monsoon work drive on April 1, which is much earlier than last year, when the drive started quite later. The civic body’s road, drainage, and disaster management cell have undertaken repair work of public drains, roads, pipes and the overall underground sewage systems in various areas of the city.

The civic body has also planned to inspect and review dilapidated wadas. (HT PHOTO)

The drive, which began on April 1, will cover all 15 wards. The drainage department has started work on storm lines repair, cleaning of drainage and water lines and other general maintenance work. Last year in October, the city received intense rain causing waterlogging in several areas.

Shridhar Yeolekar, superintendent engineer, drainage department said, “The PMC has started the work from April 1. Teams are allocated to all 15 wards. They will undertake the cleaning and maintenance work and identify sensitive locations. Precautionary work like building new stormwater or drainage lines and retaining walls will be carried out accordingly.”

So far two meetings have been held where the departments were given instructions on the flow of work, said officials. The PMC has set May 31 as the deadline to finish the work considering monsoon will arrive mostly in the first week of June.

JM Road, FC Road, Bhawani Peth, Tilak road and Mandai face severe waterlogging. Disaster management teams have been instructed to make and keep quick response teams ready in case of emergency, said officials.

The civic body has also planned to inspect and review dilapidated wadas. If the department finds the building or structure extremely dangerous according to their survey, then notices will be sent to owners or residents to vacate the premises before the beginning of monsoon. The PMC has further listed areas near the sewage nullahs and culverts which can be considered to be prone to flooding, and have started assigning departments and working accordingly.