A video of a Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Ltd (PMPML) bus navigating a flooded road in Hinjawadi has gone viral on social media.
The Congress party's Kerala unit also shared the video, targeting the dismal state of infrastructure in Pune's IT hub.
"A floating electric bus from Pune. What is more concerning is that electric buses are really risky to drive through water, as even a short circuit can cause the battery to catch fire and explode. The bus costs ₹2.2 crore, yet the drivers are not properly trained to avoid such risky adventures," Kerala Congress wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The viral video is from Saturday, after a spell of heavy rain caused waterlogging in almost all parts of Hinjawadi, disrupting the commute for IT employees and citizens. In other viral videos, bikes and cars were seen passing through the roads, half-submerged in water, and causing beach-like waves with their force.
NCP-SP Working President Supriya Sule also shared a video of the waterlogging in Hinjawadi on Saturday and directed the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) to take immediate action.
The Baramati MP wrote, "Due to heavy rains, a large amount of water has accumulated near Ryan International School and many other areas in the Hinjawadi Phase 2 area. It is doubtful whether there is a system for draining water in this area. Works like cleaning the drains here need to be done on time. But these works do not seem to be done on time. MIDC needs to pay immediate attention to this matter and take long-term measures to prevent water accumulation here in the future and inconvenience the citizens."
The Forum of IT Employees (FITE) Maharashtra, which has been demanding work-from-home for the IT employees of Hinjawadi during the monsoon season, also shared videos of the waterlogging and pressed for their demand.