PMC, Maha-Metro blame each other for water not receding at Deccan

A blame game is currently underway between the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and Maha Metro with both pointing fingers at each other for the recent waterlogging at Deccan. According to the PMC, a pier installed in the middle of a box culvert is blocking rainwater from entering the stormwater system, and is the main reason behind water not receding at Deccan on Monday as well as the previous week. The PMC has asked the Metro Rail Corporation to shift the pier from the existing location however the metro is blaming the PMC for the poor stormwater system.

Heavy rain over the past two days led to waterlogging at Jungli Maharaj road, Deccan, and Fergusson college, forcing the PMC to review the stormwater system only to find that one of the major box culverts at Deccan was clogged, causing waterlogging in the area. According to the PMC, the pier was built for a walkway to connect with the metro station opposite the Deccan bus stop. According to PMC officials, the walkway pier or pillar stands in the cross-section of the box culvert thereby clogging it, which is what happened during the heavy rain two nights ago.

Dinkar Gojare, executive engineer, road department, who was part of the inspection team helmed by road department chief, V G Kulkarni, said, “The PMC road department officials visited the Deccan area after the water receded and we found that the metro pier for the walkway is built in a cross-section of a 30-year-old box culvert which has been taking rainwater and surface water during the monsoon towards the Mutha river for many years. The flow of this culvert is now about 40% of its original flow due to the construction of the pier.”

“The metro officials were informed two months ago when they began trenching and digging that the pier will affect the culvert but it was disregarded. Now we have demanded that the metro move the pier,” Gojare said.

The culvert, located near Hong Kong lane, takes stormwater flowing from BMCC road, Fergusson college road and Deccan to Bhide bridge and there has never been such waterlogging earlier, PMC officials said.

Not only is the walkway pier an impediment for the culvert but it has also added to the traffic congestion at the Deccan bus station by reducing the turning radius for buses and eating into the carriageway.

On his part, Hemant Sonawane, director, public relations, Maha Metro, said, “All our work is carried out only in consultation with the PMC and only after consultation, do we construct. Even during this period, the construction was carried out under the PMC’s supervision. How can this one culvert affect Deccan which spans 1 km x 1 km space. Last week, there was an inspection carried out but that was because the culvert was clogged which we have since cleared.”