PUNE: For the past eight days, residents of Lohegaon-Wagholi road, near Karmabhumi Nagar, have been forced to wade through accumulated rainwater. The residents said that the rainwater had not receded as the Pune Municipal Corporation had failed to construct a stormwater drainage system.
The PMC officials said that the land acquisition to construct a stormwater drainage pipeline had not taken place because of which the problem of flooding was occurring every year.
Local MLA Sunil Tingre said that a temporary solution to divert the current accumulated water was being undertaken.
The flooded road links Lohegaon and Wagholi and is frequented by motorists throughout the day. Sitaram Ughade, a hardware shopowner, said, "Every monsoon, there is a recurrence of this situation. Sometimes, four-wheelers break down, sometimes school buses and vans. Many times during the day, two-wheeler riders fall into the water as they try to go past the stretch. Our letters to the corporators, civic engineers, and officials have not elicited any response."
The residents are fed up with the lackadaisical attitude of the civic officials and have decided to hoist the flag for Independence Day in the flooded water, if the officials do not pay any heed and clear the water.
Ramesh Kadam, a resident of the area, said, "Lack of any stormwater line has aggravated the issue for the past few years. Natural outlets have been blocked, leading to a situation where the residents have to suffer, and put their lives at risk. The road and drainage departments have not taken any action to drain out the water for more than a week."
Residents also said that the accumulated water could spread disease in the area and that civic official should take up the matter and resolve it.
Tingre said, "The owners of the plot where the new drainage line is to be constructed have refused to let go of their land. However, the civic body should make temporary arrangement and ensure that this situation does not arise every monsoon. I have also brought this matter to the notice of the PMC commissioner."
On Thursday evening, the PMC sent two suction machines to drain out the water.
Vinayak Shinde of the PMC's drainage department, said, "As a temporary solution to the flooding problem, we have begun to drain out the water with the help of machines, but it is clearly not enough. We also tried to divert the water to nearby fields, but the farmers objected to it. The only solution is construction of a bigger pipeline, but it has run into several problems."
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