Will finish all works in good time, says PMC

Civic body claims repair of storm water drains done, only desilting left at Ganjve and Phadtare chowks

On Day 2 of MiD DAY campaign on storm water drainage we visit Navi Peth and Shukrawar Peth in the city where desilting works are underway. We spoke to the locals about water-logging in the area and how they coped with the same. Every year the drainages are choked with soil and stones and the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) worsens the situation by carrying out repair activity in the eleventh hour.


Clean up act: PMC workers carry out desilting of drains at
Phadtare chowk


Ganjve chowk. pics/vivek sabnis

Ganjve Chowk, Navi Peth
Close to the Mutha River, Ganjve chowk is on the Lal Bahadur Shastri Chowk, which was laid in 1965 and was the first 80-feet wide road in the city. Water-logging is not uncommon at Ganjve chowk, as it is a low-lying area. Once the drainage chokes up, it's not long before water starts stagnating here.

Sanjay Shilimkar, newspaper vendor, said each monsoon storm water collected at Ganjve Peth. To ease out the problem, the PMC has laid a separate storm water conduit and created four openings at the chowk through which rainwater could drain off easily. The PMC has started the work of desilting at the chowk and it is expected to be completed before the onset of monsoon.

Ravi Laigude, a resident, said that water stagnated in many places in Ganjve Chowk during heavy rains. Many of the drainage repairing works should have been done before the start of monsoon. "Though we see a clear road now, the situation is different when rain lashes the road," he said.

Swati More, BJP Corporator from Ganjve Chowk, said the repair works in her area were almost done and would be completed within a fortnight. "The work of laying a storm water drainage line from Shastri Road to the Alka Talkies chowk has just been completed. This will help prevent water-logging during heavy rains. Installation of chambers in the underground line is remaining which will be completed soon," said More.

Phadtare Chowk, Shukrawar Peth
Located in a thickly populated area near Mahatma Phule Vegetable Market linking the Swargate Bus Junction, this road has many problems. The paving of roads with asphalt was recently done but the repair and cleaning of drainage and storm water pipes work is yet to be completed. Desilting of the drainage line has just begun though the area has many storm water drainages.

Sachin Shah, a shop owner, said the road had no footpath as it was narrow and the possibility of water stagnating is always there during heavy rains. It is sad the PMC sends their workers just once a year before the arrival of monsoon. "The drainage should be cleaned at least three times in a year as the soil, stone and garbage chokes the storm water line and it takes a lot of time to scoop it out," he said.u00a0u00a0u00a0

Assistant Police Inspector Dnyadev Bhalsingh from Phadtare Police Chowky said there was always danger of storm water seeping into the police chowky as it is located on a corner of the road. The PMC constructed a storm water chamber near the chowky some months ago, but it is not adequate.

Shubhada Joshi, BJP corporator from Vishrambaug area, said construction of storm water drainage at seven different areas has been completed and cleaning of old pipes was the only job pending. "This will be done in four days. The PMC should also shift the excavated dirt and not keep it there otherwise it will flow back into the drains and choke them," she said.

She said some areas have been given "cross-cuts" which would facilitate speedy flow of water into the drains. Cross-cuts entails giving roads a slant so that water drains off into the gutter. New Vishnu Chowk, Karpe Chowk and Umbre Ganpati Road are some of the areas where the above works are underway. The PMC is however claiming that these works will be completed before May 31 and will ensure water-logging in the city is nil. The corporation has also promised to deploy teams of workers to help out in case of exigencies.