Pune: Prior Permission Mandatory For Construction, Excavation On Metro Routes

Pune Metro on Monday said it is mandatory to take prior permission before carrying out any construction, excavation or boring work on the metro route.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Pune Metro wrote, "In the peth areas of Pune, it is mandatory to obtain prior permission from the concerned department as well as the Pune Municipal Corporation before carrying out any construction, excavation, boring, or similar work in the vicinity of the metro route."

"Any work carried out without permission, or any damage caused to metro property as a result, may lead to necessary legal action against the responsible individuals as per the rules," it added.

This comes after a potentially high-risk breach was caused in the underground tunnel of a Pune Metro line in the Shukrawar Peth area after an unauthorised borewell drilled 60 feet deep caused a six-inch hole in the tunnel ring made of cement concrete, leading to water leakage on the metro track.

Reportedly, on March 14, a train operator reported water leakage between Mandai and Swargate stations. Later, it was found that on a plot right in front of Khadak Police Station on Shivaji Road, an old wada had been demolished and a borewell had been drilled at the location. This was done without seeking any permission.

An FIR was filed under Section 78 of the Metro Railways (Operation and Maintenance) Act, 2002, which pertains to "damage to or destruction of certain metro railway properties," along with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) section pertaining to acts endangering life or personal safety of others.