PMC to undertake resurfacing of roads just before rains
The civic body plans to carry out resurfacing of 51 km of roads and has approved Rs111.16 crores as the total cost for the same, according to officials
Wary of criticism over potholes, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) plans to undertake tarring of various city streets before onset of the monsoon although the timing of the decision is likely to attract severe criticism.
The PMC plans to carry out resurfacing of 51 km of roads and has approved Rs111.16 crores as the total cost for the same, according to officials. Earlier, different proposals for tarring of roads and levelling of manholes had been submitted to the PMC standing committee. The proposals were put before the road department and all 15 ward offices, and municipal commissioner Vikram Kumar gave his nod to the proposals, the officials said.
Head of the road department, PMC, V G Kulkarni, said, “Roads have been damaged due to various reasons including digging work for the 24x7 equitable water scheme, laying of sewage lines, MNGL work, and laying of cables by mobile operators. Although some of the contractors have reinstated the roads, many remain uneven with chances of potholes developing during the monsoon. Considering the same, the PMC has decided to carry out resurfacing of the roads.”
“The road department as well as all the ward offices will carry out the road resurfacing work. There are also proposals for levelling the manholes that are below or above the road surface,” Kulkarni said.
The work is likely to start this month itself although the PMC has set a May 31 deadline for completion of all road digging and resurfacing works. Asked about the possibility of meeting the deadline, Kulkarni said, “The PMC will carry out the work on a war footing. It is resurfacing work and multiple contractors will be involved in it.”
Whereas civic activist Vivek Velankar said, “Actually, it is the responsibility of the road digging agencies to carry out road resurfacing work properly. As they have failed to do a thorough job, the PMC has to spend additional funds on this work.”