Following the rain on Wednesday, commuters at Vanaz Metro Station were irked when faced with an unexpected leakage issue from the station’s roof. This rainwater leakage raised concerns as officials at the metro station had placed buckets at different locations to trap the water. The entire platform was wet and had become slippery, posing a threat of slip-and-fall accidents.
Vanaz is the elevated western terminal metro station on the East-West corridor of the Aqua Line of Pune Metro in Pune, India. The station was opened on 6 March 2022 as an inauguration of Pune Metro by PM Narendra Modi.
Purnima, a working professional, pointed out, “In the first two days of rain, the situation is like this. The entire floor is wet and slippery, water is seeping from the roof. If this is the situation at the beginning of the monsoon, imagine how worse it will be as the rainfall increases. Taxpayers’ money is being wasted. How old are these metro stations? Hardly a year or so, and see the condition. If any sort of accident happens here, who will be accountable? This is what we are getting after paying taxes.”
Commuters face troubles
Diksha Kumari, a student who uses the metro on a daily basis, said, “This is not new. This station has developed a lot of leaks and cracks on the wall at the entry and exit point of Gate 3. The station was inaugurated in 2022; however, within about an year, it started leaking from the roof, and the water accumulated on the floor, making it extremely slippery for commuters. There have been times when I have seen people falling down due to the slippery surface.”
Civic activist Prashant Velankar said, “The Maha Metro should take a serious note of the seepage and conduct inspections at all stations. It will prevent problems during heavy rains. The incidents of fall-footers have also increased because of the slippery platforms. It should be looked after as it is causing a lot of inconvenience to the commuters.”
Metro authority react
Team Free Press Journal found out that the roof leakage is near the station’s entry stairs and lifts. The roof installed by the Maha Metro at the underground station allows sunlight to come in. This is exactly where the leakage has developed. The station’s roof is sloped to prevent water accumulation. Still, leaks and cracks are present on the roof.
Speaking to Free Press Journal, Dr Hemant Sonawane, Executive Director, Public Relation and Administration, Pune Metro, said, “We have sent our team to different locations to identify the leakage issue. We are on it and we'll get it cleared and repaired. The team is working on repairs, conducting a detailed check, and taking necessary measures to arrest the seepage. We are checking other locations as well."
