Citizens rang in with large number of complaints in the last two months when the helpline was set up
Punekars have been harrowed by deep trenches on the road and the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) apathy this monsoon. City dwellers don’t seem to buy the civic body’s claim that it has been working around the clock to fix the roads.u00a0The PMC helpline received 280 complaints of potholes from June 4 to July 25.
Bailing out: Most complaints of potholes have come from areas in Mundhwa, Warje, Yerawada, Vishrambaug, Pashan-Sus Road, Swargate, Kondhwa, Dhanori, Handewadi, Ghorpadi. File Pic
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Heavy rainfall and poor quality material has left roads marred with trenches. Officials of the road department claimed that potholes on the Katraj- Kondhwa Road and roads adjoining the industrial area in Ramwadi at Hadapsar, parts of Sus Road near the National Highway, Dhanori Road, Ahmednagar Road, the road near Bundgarden petrol pump have been repaired with paver blocks.
The helpline attendant said most calls came from Mundhwa, Warje, Yerawada, Vishrambaug, Pashan-Sus Road, Swargate, Kondhwa, Dhanori, Handewadi, Ghorpadi.
Yuvraj Deshmukh, superintendent engineer with the civic body, maintained that potholes have come up on roads where resurfacing work was not done before the rains.
Deshmukh added, “Stretches where fresh roads have to come up for which tenders have been floated did not receive resurfacing treatment before the monsoon.”
Vishal Haribhakta, executive engineer, said the cell has got 280 complaints regarding potholes this season. He said, “The repair work cannot be started now as the hot mix machine method cannot be used when it’s raining.”
However, he said, that since the PMC is obliged to attend to complaints within 72 hours some potholes have been filled with cement. He added that after the rains, tenders would be floated for reconstruction and tarring of roads. u00a0RTI activist Vijay Kumbhar said the use of paver blocks does not solve the problem and reflects the civic body’s apathy in dealing with the issue.u00a0
Help at hand
Citizens can inform civic officials on the 24-hour helpline about the location of the potholes in their areas by diallingu00a0(020) 25501083u00a0
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