PMC's efforts pay off

Snehal Sonawane / TNN / Jul 18, 2007, 04:56 IST

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The Pune Municipal Corporation has, this year, proved that quality management, preventive measures and consistent efforts can make the roads last - despite heavy rains.

PUNE: While heavy rains were held responsible for the pathetic condition of roads in the city last year, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has, this year, proved that quality management, preventive measures and consistent efforts can make the roads last — despite heavy rains.
Consider this: the city received around 100 mm more rainfall until July 17 this year as compared to the corresponding period last year.The season's total rainfall as on July 17, 2006 was 371.6 mm as against 473.1 mm on July 17, 2007.
Last year, most of the roads and junctions were dotted with potholes and craters as a result of which citizens had to suffer spine-breaking jolts during the entire monsoon. This year, however, the roads are in a better shape.
Speaking to TOI, Gojira Jagtap, a medical professional, said, "I met with an accident on Sinhagad road last year because of the extremely bad roads. But this year, the roads are in a much better condition."

Municipal commissioner Pravinsinh Pardeshi said that extensive preventive measures taken by the PMC during pre-monsoon period had borne fruit. "Quality management, appointing well-equipped contractors and monitoring by external agencies while the road works were being done ensured better quality roads," he said.
Pardeshi said the PMC had also appointed a technical advisory committee, consisting of retired civil engineers and experts, which inspected and certified the quality of work done and ensured that norms were complied with. "The committee kept a watch on the quality of material being used by the PMC to resurface roads and the temperature of the bitumen used," Pardeshi said, adding that the spots where storm water drains were absent and areas which got severely flooded during the monsoon were also identified.

"Alignments at such junctions were rectified to ensure that there was no water-logging. Moreover, the PMC resorted to repairing major junctions either by mastic asphalt or interlocking blocks, which have remained in good shape even after rains," Pardeshi said.
Some of the roads and junctions that were badly damaged last year, but have remained in better shape this year, include the ILS law college road, Tilak road, parts of Ganeshkhind road, ITI road, Golwalkar Guruji road, RTO chowk, COEP junction, Agriculture College junction and Khandujibaba chowk.
Pardeshi said though potholes had developed on some roads after the first spell of rain this year, the civic body had put up a team for each ward to repair the potholes immediately.
"Maintenance is being done immediately by filling potholes either by cold emulsion or interlocking blocks. The PMC's complaint redressal system, too, is in place, so whatever complaints we receive from citizens on the PMC's helpline or on the website monitored by citizens empowerment forum, are quickly attended to," Pardeshi said.
Speaking to TOI, road expert M.B. Patil, chairman of PMC's technical advisory committee, said that the committee had short time to give suggestions, but the PMC had taken efforts to follow the norms which have resulted in better roads this year.
"The system in PMC as a whole does need to be improved, but we are happy that the guidelines we gave for better roads have been followed," Patil said.

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