The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has spent nearly ₹164 crore over the last six years on drain cleaning and desilting of monsoon chambers ahead of the rainy season. Despite the substantial expenditure, several parts of the city continue to witness severe waterlogging and clogged drains during heavy rainfall, raising fresh concerns over the effectiveness and quality of the work.
The issue came to light through a written reply submitted by the civic administration in response to a question raised by Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) corporator Dattatray Bahirat at the PMC General Body meeting.
Bahirat had sought details of expenditure on drain cleaning and desilting for the nine years from 2017 to 2026. However, the administration furnished information only for the period between 2020-21 and 2025-26, leaving out expenditure details for the previous three years.
According to the reply, PMC spent approximately ₹121 crore on drain cleaning and another ₹43 crore on desilting monsoon chambers, taking the total expenditure to ₹164 crore over six years.
The year-wise expenditure shows that around ₹38 crore was spent through 14 tenders in 2020-21, about ₹33 crore through 15 tenders in 2021-22, over ₹42 crore through 17 tenders in 2023-24, and approximately ₹41 crore through 17 tenders in 2024-25. Expenditure for the remaining financial years accounts for the balance of the total amount.
The civic administration also acknowledged that several tenders for drain-cleaning works were awarded at 30 to 50 per cent below the estimated cost, particularly in areas under the Hadapsar-Manjri, Warje-Karvenagar and Sinhagad Road regional offices. While bills for several works have already been cleared, some tenders are still awaiting approval, and work orders for a few projects are yet to be issued.
Despite the annual spending, residents continue to report flooding and poor drainage during the monsoon in localities including Karvenagar, Sinhagad Road, Kothrud, Hadapsar, Katraj, Warje and parts of the old city. The recurring waterlogging has raised questions about whether drains are being cleaned effectively and whether the quality of the work matches the public funds being spent.
The disclosure has once again put the spotlight on PMC's pre-monsoon preparedness, with corporators and citizens demanding greater transparency, stricter monitoring of contractors, and an audit of drain-cleaning works to ensure public money is being utilised effectively.
