Pune Roads Crumble Under Monsoon Rains; PMC Faces Criticism Over Repairs

Pune, 28th August 2024: Pune’s roads have been severely damaged by the ongoing rains, leading to widespread criticism of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC). The PMC administration has promised to repair the roads once the rains stop. However, a key problem is the lack of hot mix (a combination of hot asphalt and gravel) needed for repairs. This means Pune residents may have to deal with pothole-ridden roads throughout the rainy season.

The hot mix plant at Yerawada, run by the PMC, has stopped operating, and other hot mix plants belonging to the Public Works Department (PWD) and private companies are also closed during the monsoon season. This has left the PMC’s Road Department in a difficult position. The Yerawada plant typically produces around 200 tonnes of hot mix per day, which is essential for road repairs. However, continuous rainfall has soaked the gravel needed for the hot mix, making it unusable. Without this key material, road repairs are proving ineffective.

Although the PMC has requested hot mix from contractors and PWD, they have been unable to procure any. In the meantime, the PMC is attempting to use paver blocks and cold mix to repair potholes, but these methods are proving insufficient. The heavy traffic in Pune quickly wears down these temporary fixes, leading to recurring potholes. As a result, the PMC is currently relying on a cold mix for road repairs.

Anirudh Pavaskar, head of the PMC’s road department, stated, “Hot mix is the most effective solution for road repairs. However, when the gravel is wet, the mixture is not useful. Road repairs cannot be done effectively until the rains subside.”