The residents of Pune are irked with the newly constructed Kalyani Nagar Metro Station, which has become a serious concern for pedestrians and motorists alike as the rainwater gets accumulated and creates a waterlogging situation near the metro station, forcing people to walk on the main road amidst vehicular traffic, putting lives at great risk.
However, the PMC road department had earlier issued instructions to create small openings in the road dividers beneath the elevated metro corridors, especially on the Pune Metro lines 1 and 2, to prevent waterlogging issues. Nevertheless, there are still no openings left to absorb the rainwater.
Residents speak up
A resident of Kalyani Nagar, on the condition of anonymity, said, “I would like to highlight a concerning issue faced by pedestrians today, near the Kalyani Nagar Metro Station. Due to severe waterlogging in the area, people are being forced to walk in the middle of the road. This poses a serious safety risk and could potentially lead to accidents. The waterlogging not only creates dangerous conditions for pedestrians and drivers alike but also hampers emergency vehicle access and increases traffic congestion."
He added, "Moreover, stagnant water can become a breeding ground for mosquitoes, thereby increasing the risk of vector-borne diseases. PMC and the Metro authorities should immediately address this issue to ensure public safety and smooth traffic flow.”
Berk Jamal, another resident of Kalyani Nagar, highlighted that, “There is a perennial problem at Nagarwala School turn. Slight rain and the water gets logged. Most of the drains are clogged, so apparently, the issue is. It becomes almost challenging to wade our way through knee-deep water. Authorities should take action against the same.”
“These issues have been regularly informed by TeamSwachh and many members, including the potholes and uneven drainage. Kalyani Nagar is one of the top-notch localities with noticeably bad infrastructure. Due to waterlogging, the potholes turn dangerous for drivers and pedestrians alike. Request the authorities to do the needful before the onset of monsoon season,” added Jamal.
Mrunal Jadav, a student of fashion designing, said, “I’m not a resident of Kalyani Nagar, but because of my course, I go to that area every day. It's one of the posh localities; despite that, waterlogging can be seen in that area too. I use the metro regularly, and on Saturday, there was a waterlogging situation, and people were walking on the main road because there was no other option left.”
PMC & Metro Blame Each Other
Jagdish Khanore, Chief Superintendent Engineer, Drainage Department, PMC, said, “We conducted a meeting with Pune Metro and PMRDA before the monsoon, and we also sent them letters instructing them to complete the work in their respective areas to avoid any kind of waterlogging. We instructed them to dump the construction garbage responsibly to avoid any kind of blockages in drains and sewer lines. The complaint by the residents gets to the ward office of that area, and they will take care of the situation. We are prompt to provide any kind of help related to drainage, and we are actively doing it.”
“However, despite a circular issued, the PMC has observed that several spots remain susceptible to waterlogging as the Metro authorities are dragging their feet on implementing the recommended drainage solutions,” added Khanore.
Speaking to Free Press Journal, Hemant Soman, PRO Pune Metro, said, “We are not responsible for the waterlogging situation there, it’s the job of the civic body to look after that. Also, we never received any kind of instruction from the PMC regarding making small openings in the road dividers. We have not even touched their drainage system or harmed any of it during the construction. On our part, we have worked as per the orders and have not damaged or even touched drains, for that matter.”
