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Road dept under fire as PMC chief sets one-month deadline to repair potholes
At a review meeting, Ram criticised the department for poor road conditions during the monsoon and inadequate restoration after utility works
Pulling up the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) road department over the deteriorating condition of city roads, municipal commissioner Naval Kishore Ram on Tuesday directed officials to repair all potholes within a month and expedite approvals for ₹75 crore worth of road repair works.
At a review meeting, Ram criticised the department for poor road conditions during the monsoon and inadequate restoration after utility works.
“The department’s performance has been unsatisfactory. There are potholes everywhere. How did the roads deteriorate to this extent?” he said.
The commissioner blamed poor coordination between the road, water supply and drainage departments for worsening the situation, saying roads were not properly restored after excavations for utility works.
Ram directed officials to fast-track approvals for road repair tenders and ensure potholes across the city are fixed within a month. He warned that officials responsible for unnecessary delays would face action.
Several major roads and internal lanes across Pune have developed potholes due to repeated excavations and heavy monsoon rains, slowing traffic and posing risks to motorists, especially two-wheeler riders. Residents have complained that patchwork repairs carried out by the PMC are temporary and potholes reappear after every spell of rain.
The commissioner highlighted inadequate roadside drainage as a key factor behind road damage, saying water seepage weakens surfaces and accelerates pothole formation.
Additional municipal commissioner Omprakash Divte said PMC has repaired potholes spread across nearly 8,000 square metres so far this monsoon.
“We are using cold mix during the rainy season and hot mix whenever weather conditions permit to carry out durable pothole repairs,” Divte said.
