Pune: Potholes and Flooding at Swargate Bus Depot, Commuters at Risk Amid Monsoon
Swargate, 3rd August 2024: With continuous rainfall battering the city, the Swargate bus depot-cum-stand has once again become a hazardous zone for commuters. Potholes resembling craters and flooded stretches have turned the area into a minefield, posing severe threats to public safety and raising concerns about mosquito-borne diseases.
The Pune division of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has taken note of the deteriorating conditions and has requested Rs 51 crore from its headquarters in Mumbai for urgent repairs. Pramod Nehul, the divisional controller, confirmed this, stating, “The 65-year-old depot needs significant repairs. We conducted some work in May following heavy waterlogging, but the relentless rain has caused further damage. The headquarters is considering our request.”
Madhav Kusekar, the vice-chairman and managing director of MSRTC, outlined a long-term redevelopment plan for the depot. “We intend to redevelop the depot on a build-operate-transfer (BoT) model. A private party will develop and run it before transferring it back to us. Although this process will take time, we will initiate basic repairs to alleviate passenger suffering in the interim,” Kusekar said.
The Swargate depot handles the movement of approximately 600 buses daily, including MSRTC’s premier Shivneri and e-Shivneri services to Mumbai and other districts. As the monsoon continues, passengers are urging for more permanent solutions to ensure their safety and convenience.
