Heavy rains forecast in Pune, traffic congestion expected as roadwork unfinished - Hindustan Times
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Heavy rains forecast in Pune, traffic congestion expected as roadwork unfinished

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByPrachi Bari
Jul 06, 2017 03:36 PM IST

Citizens were stranded for an hour as traffic across city moved at a snail’s pace exposing Pune Municipal Corporation’s unpreparedness.

Following the first monsoon shower of the year, Pune city experienced one of the worst traffic congestions owing to the unfinished road works by the PMC. The two hour long rains in the city completely exposed the PMC’s inefficiency as it had claimed that the pre monsoon work was completed. With no way for the water to drain, many parts of the city experienced water logging, with some of the concrete roads dipping.

With no way for the water to drain, many parts of the city experienced traffic congestion due to water logging.(PRATHAM GOKHALE/HT PHOTO)
With no way for the water to drain, many parts of the city experienced traffic congestion due to water logging.(PRATHAM GOKHALE/HT PHOTO)

According to the IMD website, heavy rains were to be expected as per the weather forecast issued at 14.30 pm on Monday. More spells of rain were also a possibility during the week, stated the weekly forecast. Many of the roads were waterlogged following the first downpour. The PMC underpass, along the Mula river from Deccan, was in a chaotic state with two wheelers and four wheelers trying to keep out of each other’s water sprays. 

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Many were left stranded while others were stuck in traffic for one hour in the non moving traffic near PMC.

Due to heavy rain Pimpri-Chinchwad witnessed water logging in many places on BRT road near Morwadi Pimpri. (PRATHAM GOKHALE/HT PHOTO)
Due to heavy rain Pimpri-Chinchwad witnessed water logging in many places on BRT road near Morwadi Pimpri. (PRATHAM GOKHALE/HT PHOTO)

“The rain had clogged the roads resulting in the vehicles moving slowly. I was stuck in the traffic for over an hour,” said Suraj Singh Jhala, co-founder of Karma PR. The buses were double parked and towards Balgandharva, there was water logging. Deccan chowk also reported water logging. 

The scene near the Deenanath Mangeshkar hospital road was the worst. The road was blocked from all sides with vehicles while the traffic police tried his best to control traffic. The signals were also not working. 

Rajendra Raut, a chief engineer with the Road department said, “We have 12 road maintenance vans active for cleaning the spots.”

At Ganesh Nagar, Kothrud, there was water logging where the concrete road dipped turning the middle of the road into a huge puddle, causing a traffic jam.

Rahul Moili was on his way to his evening shift when he was caught in the rains. “There was a heavy traffic jam near Neelayam Talkies as everyone was driving cautiously through the water which was above ankle level. Both sides of traffic were moving at snail’s pace.” 

According to Jagdish Khanore, a superintendent engineer with the drainage department, stated that the maintenance of drainage was the responsibility of the individual ward offices and that only they could tackle critical drainage work. 

“Pune roads were flooded within 2 hours of rainfall. The rainwaters join with the sewage lines due to concrete roads and the lack of permeable surfaces to allow infiltration of rainwater into the soil . PMC is spending nearly 400 crores to update their storm water drainage while it could have spent a fraction of this money to build the permeable surfaces on roads. When will the authorities learn that a Smart City means the implementation of ground level changes and not spending crores of tax payers money on beautification and exterior touch ups,” exclaimed Ravindra Sinha, a resident of Baner.

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