The residents of Deccan Paper Mill Road in Pune's Mundhwa staged a protest regarding the bad roads in the area and lack of basic amenities. They lamented that they have been suffering for years due to bad roads, and there's no end to their sufferings. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has been hiding and supporting the greed of builders who have ruined the roads, they alleged.
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"We, the residents of Deccan Paper Mill Road, are perplexed with the issue of bad roads and garbage dumping on the entire road from Mundhwa Main Road till Hadapsar Railway Station. A little bit of rain and there is waterlogging, making life hell for people on foot, two-wheelers, and even four-wheelers. My car's underbody cover is damaged every time I pass through the water. The new constructions have been insensitive towards the residents' needs. All builders must be forced to make roads and repair them as and when needed," said Narayan Missula, resident of Venkatesh Flora Phase I.
"Stepping out of our homes in Mundhwa feels like preparing for battle. The roads are riddled with potholes, construction debris and reckless traffic diversions that turn a simple commute into a daily ordeal. Two-wheeler riders risk injury, elderly citizens suffer spine pain and even walking past the garbage-strewn lanes means braving foul stench, stray animals and mosquito swarms. The newly operational Hadapsar Railway Terminal, meant to ease travel, has instead created traffic bottlenecks so severe that ambulances struggle to pass during emergencies. Builder trucks illegally ply narrow lanes, worsening the chaos and damaging internal roads. Meanwhile, garbage piles grow unchecked, turning our neighbourhood into a breeding ground for disease. This isn’t just about inconvenience; it’s about basic human dignity. We pay taxes, not bribes. We deserve clean roads, safe infrastructure and a city that respects its citizens," said Chirag Bhamre, resident of Venkatesh Flora Phase 2.
Sanghmitra Karmakar, another resident of the area, said, "The residents of Godrej Prana in Undri are fighting for the basic amenities to be provided by PMC. Being one of the merged villages, they are now paying hefty taxes to the PMC but are one of the most neglected zones with issues like no water, no sewage line, no proper roads, no daily garbage collection, no CCTV or proper patrolling, severely deteriorated road conditions, and lack of a development plan. We have been writing to the authorities for 3 years now, but all we get as a reply is that the DP plan is not ready yet."
Sumit Patil, another resident of the area, said, "Four months back, my friend and I went for a morning walk and my friend died in a road accident because the road was filled with garbage and there was no space to avoid the garbage encroachment. He moved a little and an autorickshaw hit him from behind. The former corporator also died while she was being taken to the hospital because the traffic was not moving. She died waiting in traffic as she lost the golden hours. The traffic in the area is insane. And authorities must do something about it."
Meanwhile, speaking to The Free Press Journal, PMC Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram, said, "PMC has developed a new mobile application named 'PMC Road Mitra', which enables citizens to report potholes directly to the civic authorities. The app, developed by the Road Department, allows users to upload photos and videos of potholes, complete with GPS coordinates (latitude and longitude), ensuring that the exact location is identified and forwarded to the respective junior engineer for prompt action."
"The initiative comes in response to widespread public frustration over the deteriorating condition of roads in Pune, especially after monsoon and waterlogging issues. A central dashboard has also been integrated, enabling department heads to monitor complaint redressals in real time. The system will track which officers addressed which complaints, making the process more efficient. So this app will help citizens to get the solution in their respective areas promptly," he added.
