Unauthorized Cables Block Pune’s Monsoon Channels, Causing Road Flooding
Pune, 11th June 2024: A network of unauthorized cables laid by private companies has been discovered in Pune’s monsoon channels, leading to significant rainwater accumulation on roads. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) administration is now focusing on removing these obstructions to prevent further flooding.
Recent heavy rains transformed city roads into rivers. On Sunday (9th June), PMC began inspecting the monsoon channels and found unauthorized cables obstructing rainwater flow at Pune-Okayama Friendship Garden on Sinhagad Road. The PMC’s Drainage Department promptly removed these cables. Similar issues were found near Dr. Patil Hospital, Ranka Jewellers, and Brahma Pure Veg on the same road. The Road and Drainage Departments took serious action, starting cable removal on Monday (10th June). Workers faced electric shocks during the process, prompting Superintending Engineer Dinkar Gojare to announce joint action with other departments.
These cable obstructions were only discovered after roads were flooded, discrediting PMC’s previous claims of thorough drain cleaning. Proper pre-monsoon cleaning would have identified these issues earlier, raising concerns about the effectiveness of the PMC’s efforts.
Aniruddha Pavaskar, head of the Road Department at PMC, stated, “Illegal cables have been laid in the rain channels. The concerned cables have now been removed. The cable network was preventing proper drainage of water. This is a serious issue, and a complaint will be lodged with the police.”
