Pune: With monsoon showers already causing significant waterlogging across Pune, the city’s civic administration has come under intense scrutiny for its failure to fully clear stormwater drains and sewer lines ahead of the rains. Pune Municipal Commissioner Rajendra Bhosale has issued strict instructions to civic officials, warning that payments to contractors will be withheld if garbage and silt are not removed from work sites and end up flowing back into the drainage system.
Drain and nala cleaning is currently underway in various parts of the city as part of the annual pre-monsoon preparation drive. However, in multiple locations, contractors have left piles of silt near manholes and drainage lines instead of properly disposing of them. During recent downpours, this debris washed back into the drains, choking the very systems meant to prevent flooding.
Commissioner Bhosale acknowledged the issue, stating that the re-entry of silt into the drainage system had indeed occurred at several spots. He emphasized that contractors failing to complete the job as required will not receive payments for their work.
Earlier this week, heavy rain led to waterlogging in areas such as Padmavati, Shankar Maharaj Math, the KK Market region, and several parts of Camp. Frustrated residents recorded and shared videos showing reverse water flow and flooded roads, drawing attention to the incomplete or substandard cleaning efforts.
Civic activists have condemned the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) for its repeated inability to prevent flooding despite having prior warning from the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Activist Rohan Aaron criticized the authorities for mismanaging public funds and pointed out that the true extent of the inefficiency only comes to light during the rainy season.
As per PMC’s own schedule, all desilting and drain cleaning work is meant to be completed by May 31. However, this year the corporation has failed to meet the deadline. Officials admitted that many cleaning operations are still in progress and may not be completed before early June.
Chief Engineer of the Drainage Department, Jagdish Khanore, stated that the sudden rains had disrupted the cleaning work. He added that efforts are underway across multiple wards and claimed that flooding would be minimized compared to previous years.
Despite the ongoing issues, the PMC has invested substantial amounts in flood prevention and water management. Projects worth over ₹335 crore have been undertaken under various categories such as flood control infrastructure, stormwater drain desilting, lake rejuvenation, and rainwater harvesting. Out of this, ₹143.92 crore has been sanctioned by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), along with an additional ₹71.98 crore for lake desilting and stormwater upgrades.
The city reportedly has 52 major stormwater drains with a specific cleaning budget of ₹54 crore, while 15 box drains have been assigned a separate ₹44 crore budget. Nevertheless, despite claims of completing half or more of the work in several areas, widespread flooding has been witnessed, raising questions about the actual implementation and effectiveness of these initiatives.
Ward-wise Chamber Cleaning Status (Pre-May 2025):
Aundh-Baner: 883 chambers
Dhole Patil Road: 535 chambers
Nagar Road: 1,065 chambers
Yerwada-Kalas-Dhanori: 630 chambers
Warje-Karvenagar: 920 chambers
Sahakar Nagar: 790 chambers
Kondhwa-Yewalewadi: 925 chambers
Wanawadi-Ramtekdi: 1,042 chambers
Hadapsar-Mundhwa: 1,562 chambers
The discrepancy between official figures and ground realities has once again spotlighted the PMC’s accountability, with residents and civic groups demanding more transparency and timely execution in monsoon preparedness activities.
