Pune: ₹15-Crore Disaster Management Centre Under Scanner As Monsoon Flooding Exposes PMC Preparedness

The Pune Municipal Corporation's (PMC) ₹15-crore Disaster Management Centre has come under scrutiny after heavy monsoon showers once again led to widespread waterlogging across the city, prompting questions about the civic body's preparedness, accountability and emergency response.

Despite the PMC's annual claims of pre-monsoon desilting, stormwater drain cleaning, and flood preparedness, several parts of Pune, including Kalyani Nagar, Bavdhan, Sinhagad Road, Baner, and Kondhwa, witnessed flooded roads, overflowing drains, and severe traffic congestion following the season's first spell of heavy rain.

The Disaster Management Centre, established as a technology-driven command-and-control facility on the lines of Mumbai's emergency response system, was expected to provide real-time monitoring, coordinated response, and swift deployment of emergency teams during disasters. However, civic activist Vivek Velankar allege that during recent flooding incidents, the PMC relied primarily on inputs from the police control room and public complaints rather than its own monitoring network.

The issue has gained further attention after the PMC proposed spending an additional ₹42.33 lakh to install public address systems at flood-prone locations for issuing warnings to citizens. Activists have questioned why such an essential emergency alert system was not incorporated when the Disaster Management Centre was set up.

"If ₹15 crore has already been spent on disaster management infrastructure, why is the PMC now proposing additional expenditure on systems that should have been part of the original project?" the activist questioned.

Civic activist Rohan Aaron criticised the administration's preparedness, alleging that repeated claims of pre-monsoon work do not reflect the ground reality.

"PMC makes claims about pre-monsoon repairs, but even moderate rainfall leads to flooding in several areas. The city's disaster management needs serious review," he said.

A resident of Karve Nagar, Shreya Kati, also raised concerns over clogged stormwater drains, claiming that complaints made by citizens remain unresolved.

"I reported a blocked drain in Kalyani Nagar, but the problem continues. There appears to be a gap between the work claimed by the PMC and the actual condition on the ground," she said.

The controversy has also renewed demands for an independent performance audit of the Disaster Management Centre. Activists have sought details on the number of emergencies handled by the facility, its response time, incidents monitored independently and measurable outcomes since it became operational.

Questions have also been raised over the effectiveness of the PMC's annual expenditure on desilting and stormwater drain cleaning. Residents have demanded that the civic body make public desilting records, contractor details, inspection reports and third-party audit findings to ensure transparency.

Activists further argued that although review meetings are held after every major rainfall event, visible action against contractors or officials responsible for poor-quality work remains rare. They said fixing accountability and ensuring transparent monitoring are essential to prevent recurring monsoon flooding in the city.