Pune Faces Monsoon Nightmare as Civic Departments Clash Over Road Repairs

Despite collecting over fifty crore rupees for restoration, Pune’s civic administration remains paralyzed by internal conflicts, leaving thousands of meters of excavated roads dangerously unrepaired just before the monsoon season

Pune | May 26, 2026 : The PMC’s smart city image is taking a severe beating as administrative apathy leaves citizens bracing for a perilous monsoon. Approximately 68,674 meters of city roads have been excavated for various utility lines. However, a fierce jurisdictional dispute between the PMC’s Road Department and local ward offices has stalled crucial repair work, leaving the streets riddled with dangerous potholes. Citizens are now fearing severe waterlogging and traffic nightmares as the rains approach without any concrete resolution in sight.

The civic body permitted multiple government and private agencies to dig roads for laying internet, gas, electricity, and water lines. Major contributors to this extensive excavation include MNGL, Mahavitaran, and various telecommunication providers. Consequently, the PMC amassed a staggering ₹50.89 crore in restoration charges, collected at a rate of ₹12,192 per meter. Despite having overflowing coffers and a strict May 31 deadline to conclude all digging operations, the administration remains dangerously sluggish, with active digging still visible across several neighborhoods.

Previously, Municipal Commissioner Nawal Kishore Ram empowered ward offices with ₹3.5 crore each, alongside additional funds for newly merged villages, to execute these repairs. Unfortunately, these offices failed to utilize the allocated budget efficiently before the end of May. Now, an internal rift has surfaced. While Road Department Head Rajesh Bankar insists that pothole repairs fall strictly under the ward offices’ jurisdiction, Additional Commissioner Omprakash Divte argues otherwise. Divte claims that due to the notoriously poor quality of work by ward offices, the responsibility has been formally reverted to the Road Department, promising swift action within two days.

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