Extremely Poor Puneri Infrastructure makes it tough to tackle the monsoon-led issues

A pre-monsoon downpour wreaked havoc in Dhanori, Bavdhan, Koregaon Park, Kharadi, and surrounding areas of Pune, turned streets into rivers and flooding homes and parking lots.

Poorly planned concrete roads failed to channel rainwater effectively, leading to severe water-logging. In Dhanori, knee-deep waters inundated streets, and about 100 vehicles were damaged as they floated in parking lots. Shops and homes in low-lying areas were also flooded, causing extensive property damage. Kharadi residents faced similar distress, with water infiltrating homes and destroying belongings. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) disaster management team received approximately 100 calls for help, but their response has been criticized as inadequate. Despite claims from Pune Metro about diverting drainage lines to mitigate inconvenience, residents remain frustrated with chronic civic neglect.

A Dhanori resident, speaking anonymously, reported extensive neighborhood damage and blamed builders for inadequate safety measures. “Nearly 100-120 vehicles in parking lots were damaged due to water-logging. This recurring issue could lead to financial losses,” they said. It took several hours to pump out the water the next day, and the situation is expected to worsen with more rain. The resident also highlighted infrastructure issues, noting that pipeline diameters reduce near main roads, potentially causing significant problems during heavy rains. Suyojana Society in Lane 5A experienced full flooding from this single rain event. The area from Tilak Road to Kalyani Nagar, where riverfront development is ongoing, was completely waterlogged. The outlook for the next couple of months appears bleak if such heavy rains persist.

[Image Source: PuneMirror]