Pune: In preparation for the upcoming monsoon season, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has launched a city-wide initiative to clean nullahs and drainage lines, setting a deadline of June 4 for completion. The initiative, which has already seen delays this year, was discussed during a high-level disaster preparedness meeting held on Tuesday.
The meeting was led by PMC Additional Commissioner Prithviraj B.P., and attended by several senior officials, including Additional Commissioner M.J. Pradeep Chandran, Chief Engineer of the Wastewater Department Jagdish Khanore, Superintendent Engineers Dinkar Gojare and Santosh Tandale, Disaster Management Officer Ganesh Sonune, and representatives from the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA), MahaMetro, Pune Metro, MSEDCL, and the National Highways Authority of India.
A total of 180 nullah locations across 23 newly included villages under PMC jurisdiction have been identified as encroached. Removal of these obstructions is being prioritized to facilitate smooth water flow during the monsoon. Additionally, eight tenders have been issued specifically to address nullah cleaning in these villages, which currently lack formal stormwater drainage infrastructure.
PMC has floated tenders through its regional offices to clean approximately 90 kilometers of nullahs and 125 kilometers of drainage lines. Each regional office has been assigned 30 individual tenders to expedite the work.
To avoid a repeat of last year’s monsoon chaos—which saw severe flooding and public outrage—officials are determined to complete all cleaning tasks by the first week of June. Last year, delays and poor coordination were blamed for widespread waterlogging, particularly due to unauthorized cables installed inside stormwater chambers by private firms.
Authorities have identified 116 persistent waterlogging zones within city limits and 123 additional sites in the 23 villages. Instructions have been issued to implement preventive measures at these locations to avoid monsoon-related disruptions. Coordination between PMC and PMRDA will be key, especially in areas that lie near municipal boundaries.
Regional and zonal officers have been tasked with regularly monitoring the progress of pre-monsoon preparations. A detailed project report (DPR) for stormwater drainage in the 23 villages is nearing finalization. Once PMRDA allocates resources and provides necessary equipment, cleanup and encroachment removal efforts will proceed as per a priority list to be shared within the next few days.
This proactive strategy by PMC aims to ensure the city is well-prepared to handle the challenges of the monsoon season and avoid the severe flooding experienced in previous years.
