Pune: Rainwater leakage inside Maan Metro Station has raised questions about the construction quality and drainage arrangements of Pune Metro Line 3, just a couple of days before the corridor's inauguration. The incident occurred on Sunday evening (Nov 1), ahead of the scheduled inauguration on Nov 3. Videos of the incident showed rainwater leaking inside the station and accumulating in the passenger movement area. Station staff were seen using buckets and floor wipers to clear the water.
Responding to the incident, Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) Chief Engineer Rinaj Pathan said the leakage was caused by a temporary blockage in a rainwater drainage pipe on the terrace slab of the station's entry structure. However, the explanation has raised questions about why accumulated rainwater was able to enter the station in the first place, particularly when the facility is on the verge of opening to commuters.
PMRDA Says Drainage Blockage Caused Leakage
Pathan said the terrace slab of the entry structure is open to the sky. Due to the temporary blockage in the drainage pipe, rainwater accumulated on the slab and eventually overflowed. She said the water then seeped through the gap between the station box and the entry structure, becoming visible on the mezzanine level.
“The temporary blockage in the drainage pipe has been cleared, and rainwater drainage is now functioning smoothly,” Pathan said. She maintained that the leakage was solely due to the temporary blockage and that there were no defects in any structural elements of the station box or the entry structure.
However, questions remain about the waterproofing arrangements at the junction between the two structures. While PMRDA has ruled out structural defects, its explanation does not establish whether the waterproofing and sealing arrangements at the joint were functioning as intended.
The authority has also not clarified what caused the drainage pipe to get blocked or whether a similar incident could occur during heavy rainfall in the future.
Metro Corridor Set to Open on Nov 4
The incident comes at a crucial time for Pune Metro Line 3, which connects Maan in Hinjawadi with Shivajinagar. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to virtually inaugurate the corridor on Nov 3, while passenger services are expected to begin on Nov 4.
The 23.2-km elevated corridor has 23 stations and is being developed at a cost of around ₹8,313 crore under a public-private partnership (PPP) model.
The project is being implemented by Pune IT City Metro Rail Limited (PITCMRL), a special purpose vehicle involving Tata Group's TRIL Urban Transport and Siemens Project Ventures, with PMRDA serving as the public authority responsible for the project.
The corridor has received the required safety clearances from the Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety (CMRS) in phases. However, the leakage incident has brought the station's drainage and waterproofing arrangements under scrutiny ahead of the start of passenger operations.
With the opening just days away, commuters will expect the authorities to ensure that such issues are properly addressed before the station is opened to the public.
