Pune Civic Body Identifies 56 High-Risk Flood Spots Ahead Of Monsoon

With the monsoon nearing, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has identified 120 waterlogging-prone locations across the city, of which 56 are expected to remain highly vulnerable due to ongoing and incomplete infrastructure works.

Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram has directed ward offices to immediately undertake temporary drainage measures at these critical locations and ensure adequate deployment of manpower and machinery to respond to flooding incidents during heavy rainfall.

The instructions were issued during a pre-monsoon preparedness review meeting. Civic officials said that works at 64 locations are likely to be completed within a month, while major infrastructure projects at the remaining sites are expected to continue through the monsoon season.

At present, works of cleaning of nullahs and stormwater channels are ongoing in all 15 ward offices. Separate tenders were called to appoint agencies for each area to avoid delays. PMC faces the uphill task of completing 60% of the cleaning of channels and ducts before the monsoon this year. A civic official, on the condition of anonymity, said, “At 65 flood-prone spots, various works are going on, including laying of stormwater channels, negotiating with slopes and gradients to eliminate water accumulation, replacing the lids of chambers or reconstructing drainage lines. All the works are expected to get over in the next one month.”

Meanwhile, citizens’ forums and elected representatives from different areas have approached their respective ward offices with a list of flood-prone locations. A forum from Baner-Balewadi has appealed to local residents to hand over such a list of waterlogging spots near their societies to the ward office.

The ongoing works include the construction of new stormwater drainage lines, installation of additional chambers, replacement of old and narrow pipelines, and the strengthening of the rainwater disposal network. Officials stated that these large-scale upgrades require substantial funding and generally take six to eight months for completion.

In view of the delays, the civic administration has decided to focus on short-term interventions to minimise water accumulation and improve drainage during intense spells of rain.

The commissioner also expressed dissatisfaction over the slow pace of desilting work in drains and nullahs across the city. Officials concerned have now been instructed to expedite pending works and submit daily progress reports instead of weekly updates to ensure closer monitoring and accountability.

PMC officials said the administration’s monsoon strategy this year will primarily rely on temporary flood-management measures, while permanent and comprehensive solutions will be implemented after the rainy season.