PMC claims completion of 50-km roads damaged during monsoon 2022

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) claims to have completed 50 km of roads damaged during the last monsoon, but still has more work to do after the rainy season. The PMC has also issued fines and show cause notices to contractors and engineers for substandard work. The civic body has allocated a budget of ?100 crore for extensive road restoration work. However, civic activists and residents have criticized the PMC for the poor condition of the roads, calling for a proper policy for road construction and maintenance.

While the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is busy filling potholes on rain-hit roads, it claims to have completed 50 km of roads damaged during the last monsoon. The remaining works will be carried out after the rainy season.

While the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is busy filling potholes on rain-hit roads, it claims to have completed 50 km of roads damaged during the last monsoon (HT FILE PHOTO)

Following criticism from civic activists and residents over bad roads last year, municipal commissioner Vikram Kumar had imposed fine on 33 contractors and blacklisted 13 others for substandard work. Additionally, 23 engineers from the road department were faulty works. The civic chief has continued the strict approach this year by issuing show cause notices to four junior engineers for poor road maintenance process.

PMC had identified 100 major roads in the city not within the defect liability period of contractors, making them eligible for repair. A budget of ₹100 crore was allocated to undertake the extensive restoration work in five packages.

As of now, the civic body has completed 50 km of roads, focusing on the first three packages before the onset of monsoon.

Prashant Inamdar, member, Road Development and Road Maintenance Committee of PMC and convenor, Pedestrians First, said, “We are again facing the same old annual nightmare of bad roads during the rainy season. It is shocking that roads laid or renovated only a few months earlier have also developed potholes. Even concrete roads that is said to last for 25 years are getting damaged within a short period. Rains cannot be the only reason for the pathetic condition of roads. The civic administration is responsible for maintainance of these roads.”

“While the civic body as usual has been quick to declare that they would get the roads repaired on a war footing, simply getting it repaired haphazardly to somehow manage the situation on a short-term basis cannot be the solution to the chronic problem. PMC should formulate a proper policy for road construction and maintenance,” he said.