Residents and activists are expressing outrage as the Pune Police, through a contractor, have begun laying CCTV cables on nearly 300 kilometres of city roads during the monsoon season.
Activist Vivek Velankar said, “The monsoon already leaves roads full of potholes. Digging them up now makes it impossible to restore them properly. Many of these roads are still under the defect liability period of contractors, meaning that if excavation leads to damage, the contractors are no longer accountable. Effectively, the city will bear the cost of poorly executed work."
Residents are already facing severe inconvenience. In Shaniwar Peth, a one-kilometre stretch from Omkareshwar to Ramanbagh, including the footpaths, has been dug up. Narrow roads, closure of Bhide Bridge, and the presence of three schools nearby have created massive traffic jams, making daily commuting a nightmare.
The residents also criticised the contractors for ignoring PMC guidelines, such as displaying work boards and completing work in short stretches to allow road restoration.
“The work is being done randomly with no regard for citizens’ safety or convenience," said Jatin Kaul, a resident of Shaniwar Peth.
"The PMC will now have to spend nearly ₹300 crore to repair the roads properly, a cost not covered in the state-appointed project. Despite the heavy expenditure, there is little faith that roads will be restored well,” said another resident, on the condition of anonymity.
Residents feel caught between government orders and city administration failures. The residents ask, "Will the state ministers and MLAs step in to take responsibility, or will citizens continue to bear the brunt?"
