Pune: Heavy rainfall continued to disrupt normal life in Pune district on Monday, with severe flooding near Waki Khurd village in Khed tehsil bringing traffic on the Pune-Nashik Highway to a standstill. Floodwaters also affected parts of Chakan MIDC, forcing some companies to remain closed and leaving hundreds of commuters stranded.
Continuous rain over the past two days caused a stream near Waki Khurd to overflow, leading to nearly 3 to 4 feet of waterlogging on the Pune-Nashik Highway. The flooding blocked traffic in both directions, resulting in long queues of vehicles towards Chakan and Rajgurunagar.
Commuters travelling between Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad and northern parts of Pune district, as well as Nashik, faced major delays as several roads remained flooded. Company buses carrying workers and employees travelling in private vehicles were stranded in the water, while some industries in Chakan MIDC remained shut due to the situation.
Floodwaters also entered shops along the highway and affected residential areas, including Jadhavwadi and Sumbare Nagar in Waki Khurd village. Local residents and the Chakan Municipal Council fire brigade carried out rescue operations after several people became stranded inside two to three buses.
Authorities deployed a JCB machine to drain water from the highway. However, continuous rainfall prevented the water level from receding, and the road remained submerged.
Residents blamed encroachments on the natural stream flowing from Pardeshi Dara towards Waki village for worsening the flooding. According to locals, the illegal filling of the stream has blocked the natural flow of water towards the Bhama River, causing water to accumulate in the low-lying stretch of the highway during heavy rain.
Meanwhile, water flowed over the bridge on the old Pune-Nashik Highway near the Chakan Municipal Council office. The bridge, which is over a century old, remained submerged due to the rising water level.
In another incident, floodwaters entered Aru Vasti in Kharabwadi near Chakan, leaving several residents stranded inside their homes.
A motorcyclist was also swept away after attempting to cross a flooded bund in Shelu village. Police recovered the motorcycle, but the rider was still missing at the time of reporting. Senior Police Inspector Digambar Suryawanshi said a search operation was underway.
