E-Paper
PMC’s duct-less 24x7 pipeline build prompts inquiry demand
The PMC will be digging a majority of the roads in the city to install the 1,700-km water pipeline in the city
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has completed 300-kilometres of the 1,700-kilometre pipeline project that will install a 24x7 water pipeline, however, despite a prior approval the civic body has failed to lay the duct for optical fibres in tandem.
The failure of constructing the ducts along with the pipeline has thrown up a major political slugfest in the city with the opposition demanding an inquiry into the project.
The PMC will be digging a majority of the roads in the city to install the 1,700-km water pipeline in the city. The general body had decided to lay the ducts for the fibres at the time of the construction of the pipeline to prevent future diggings, and the PMC would not need to give separate permission for mobile companies to lay their cables. It would be mandatory to them to lay their cables through only ducts.
PMC road department chief Aniruddha Pawaskar said, “It is true that the general body of the PMC gave a nod for laying ducts along the 24x7 water project but the ducts were not erected. The PMC administration is undergoing a discussion on it.”
Former Pune municipal commissioner Kunal Kumar had promised that as the work would be awarded to the same contractor, it would help save cost and time for digging the duct.
One of the officials confirmed that laying the duct was part of the tender; the company which got the contract for the pipeline got the permission to lay the ducts.
Chetan Tupe, MLA and NCP city unit president said, “It was decided to carry the duct work along with the 24x7 water pipeline. The ruling BJP and municipal commissioner Kunal Kumar were aggressive on it. It is shocking that despite getting a nod and mentioned in the tender, why is the work not happening on ground. It is the ruling party’s responsibility to monitor the work. MP Girish Bapat has now decided to look into this project. He should check why his own party members did not check the work. We would raise this issue and ask the municipal commissioner to take appropriate action.”
Another officer from PMC said on anonymity, “It is true that the PMC administration and the elected members decided to lay the ducts along the water lines. There were two groups within the administration; one was in the view that it is not possible to erect the duct in the whole city as almost half the road would need to be dug. Another backed the laying of the ducts to maintain the condition of the roads. Every year, mobile companies, the Maharashtra State Electricity Board (MSEB) and other utilities use to dig the road for laying the lines and it affects the road quality as well as creates nuisance to the citizens.”
Former Pune municipal commissioner Kunal Kumar was aggressive on constructing the duct along with the 24x7 water pipeline. Earlier it was not part of the tender document, but Kumar convinced the elected members why it is important.
Ujwal Keskar, Apale Pune organisation founder and BJP leader said, “It is a must to carry the optical fibre duct work along with the water pipeline work. It is a good chance to do it in the whole city as already the roads are being dug for the water pipeline project. It is serious that despite the approval from the general body meeting and mentioned in the tender document, this work is not happening on ground.”
Former deputy mayor and RPI leader Siddharth Dhende wrote a letter to the PMC road chief and the municipal commissioner demanding an inquiry into the project.
“The general body meeting had approved the project. On the ground, it is not happening as per tender document as it was decided to lay the ducts along with the pipeline work. Recently, I wrote a letter to the municipal commissioner and road department head Pawaskar and pointed out that the contractor is not laying ducts anywhere in the city. Our demand is to do an inquiry. While issuing bills, it needs to be checked whether the bills were paid for duct work,” he said.
Aba Bagul, Congress leader said, “The municipal commissioner must do an inquiry of this project. Every year PMC spends a lot on road improvement. After a lot of discussion, the general body had approved the ducts along with the 24x7 water project. If the water pipeline work is in progress and ducts are not carried out, the ruling party must answer.”
BOX
PMC approved Rs 195 crore for laying duct along the pipeline project in Feb 2018
The PMC approved Rs 195 crore for the optical fibre duct project along with the 24x7 water pipeline project. The PMC had given an approval for this project in February 2018. Former Pune municipal commissioner Kunal Kumar promised that as the work would be given to the same contractor, it would help save cost and time for digging the duct. Even citizens would not need to face road digging works repeatedly.
