Pune: Haphazard road concreting work in Peth areas, characterized by extremely narrow streets and a network of bylanes, is testing the patience of residents and commuters alike.
Road concreting is under way on various stretches at Shaniwar Peth, Narayan Peth and Kasba Peth for almost two months now. Residents are running out of patience for clarity on when they will get some respite from the daily hardship.
The scene in some parts of Kasba Peth area is pathetic. Most narrow lanes have been taken up for concreting.
The work has been going on for the past four months. Yet, work on some stretches are still incomplete.
Residents are facing problems in parking vehicles because the roads outside their homes are dug up. Besides, they are reeling from cloud of cement dust and resultant pollution.
Similar problems are being faced by the residents and shopkeepers in the Shaniwar Peth area, where the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has taken up concreting of two major lanes. The residents have claimed that the work had been under way for the past two months.
Initially, the residents were told that the work would be over within a month. But it has been delayed by almost a month now.
People living along the dug up lane near the New English School, Ramanbaug, claimed that the work had stopped because of delay in laying power supply cables. A part of the newly concreted road would have to be dug up to lay cables, a source said. "We have learnt that the work will not be over till the power supply cables and water pipelines are in place. Why these works were not completed before PMC initiated the concreting work?" asked Mahesh Rajmane, a regular commuter.
Residents also questioned the need of concreting smaller lanes. Sheela Yadav, a local resident, said, "I have never seen a bus or a commercial vehicle on these smaller roads. The lanes are primarily used by private vehicles like bikes and cars, and autorickshaws. The PMC needs to rethink if they should spend money on concreting lanes."
"The work has been under way for two months. It needs to be completed at the earliest. There was no planning and like me, many shopkeepers and residents are facing problems daily. The corporation also needs to check the quality of the work and ensure that access to buildings and shops are restored. How many days are we supposed to live in makeshift arrangements?"
- Nitin Patil, a garage owner
"Work is going on in a haphazard manner. Ideally, it should get over in one month but the concreting work seems unending. There is some change in the plan almost every week, leading to further delay. Visitors to my shop are irked as they have to park their vehicles at the main junction because the entire stretch is dug up"
- Vinay Ganu, a shopkeeper
Repair cost minimum
"The concreting work taken up in peth areas will save expenses on roads. There will be minimum expenses on repair and maintenance of cement roads for at least next 10 years. Arrangements have been made for rainwater harvesting and percolation. The height of roads had increased in most lanes because of repeated tarring. The residents will not have to deal with this issue any more after cement roads are completed"
- Mukta Tilak, corporator
Sarang Dastane is a senior correspondent at The Times of India, P...
Read MoreSarang Dastane is a senior correspondent at The Times of India, Pune. He covers government offices, the railways, the Regional Transport Office, the district collectorate and state transport. His hobbies include trekking and outdoor activities, and he’s a social worker too.
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