Pune: After heavy rainfall disrupted normal life in the city, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has swung into action. Pune Mayor Manjusha Nagpure has pulled up the civic administration over poor preparedness and ordered immediate corrective steps.
Over the past three days, heavy rain has led to severe waterlogging across Pune. Roads were submerged, and water entered homes and shops in several areas.
The situation exposed major gaps in the city’s disaster management planning.
Following public outrage, the mayor held a review meeting with senior officials of the Disaster Management Department. She expressed strong displeasure over the handling of the crisis and directed officials to act quickly.
Civic data shows that around 260 locations reported waterlogging, of which 227 have been identified as critical. The administration has now prepared a plan to begin work at 120 of these spots from Monday to prevent similar situations during the monsoon.
Sinhagad Road, Warje, Among Worse Hit Areas...
The worst-hit areas included Sinhagad Road, Kothrud, Warje, Karvenagar, Kondhwa, Katraj, and parts of the Peth areas. Overflowing drains and clogged nullahs caused flooding in many localities. In some areas, water levels rose up to waist height, damaging homes, shops, and vehicles.
Citizens criticised the PMC for its delayed response and lack of preparedness. Taking note of this, the mayor instructed officials to fix accountability and improve response systems.
Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram, along with other senior officers, attended the meeting.
Addressing the media, Nagpure said that pre-monsoon meetings had been held and instructions were given to clean drains. However, the sudden heavy rainfall led to widespread flooding.
Action Against Illegal Constructions...
She also ordered strict action against illegal constructions along nullahs and streams, saying these block natural water flow and worsen flooding.
In addition, the mayor directed that permissions for trimming or removing dangerous tree branches must be granted within 48 hours. She said such work should continue throughout the year and not be limited to the pre-monsoon period.
Nagpure stressed the need for a modern and proactive approach. She said changing weather patterns require better planning and a clear policy to handle such situations.
The civic body has now been asked to deploy adequate manpower and funds to strengthen disaster preparedness and avoid similar chaos in the coming months.
