The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) issued a warning to citizens living in low-lying areas on Wednesday, alerting them to the possibility of flooding due to increased water discharge from Khadakwasla Dam, which is set to rise to 38,000 cusecs at 9am.
The riverside roads have been closed to traffic as a precautionary measure following a rise in water levels since Tuesday. Citizens living in these areas have also been moved to safe houses.
Similarly, 31,000 cusecs of water will be discharged from Mulshi Dam at 9 am, 15,000 from Pawana Dam, and 90,000 from Bundgarden Dam.
Meanwhile, continuous heavy rainfall for the last three days has interrupted the daily routines of Punekars, leading to inconvenience due to flight delays and traffic jams on several roads across the city.
Stay indoors: Pune CP
Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar on Tuesday urged citizens to stay indoors amid heavy downpour in the city.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Kumar wrote, “Dear Punekars, your safety remains our utmost priority as the city continues to witness heavy rainfall, resulting in waterlogging across several locations. We urge you to refrain from venturing outdoors unless it is absolutely unavoidable.”
In case of emergencies, the CP asked citizens to dial 112.
“Our officials and staff are ready to assist. In the event of any emergency, please reach out immediately to the helpline number 112,” he added.
Heavy rain irks commuters
Commuting has become a daily nightmare for motorists due to heavy rains and waterlogging situations across Pune. IT employees working at Hinjawadi have demanded a remote working option in view of the torrential rain and mainly to avoid traffic snarls.
Many people took to social media and tagged the authorities, highlighting traffic issues in the areas. Lokesh Rawat, an IT employee, said, “The condition of the roads is bad and a few days back we heard a girl fell off her bike due to a pothole and was killed by fast-moving vehicles. So many people have been killed on those roads and yet authorities are not taking proper actions. The roads are filled with potholes and traffic nonsense is also there.”
“Due to waterlogging at Pune Station, traffic has become worse; the situation is even worse for motorists as they are more prone to meet with fatal accidents. The traffic police should take strict action against traffic violators, as most of the time their mistakes lead to someone else’s death. Also, they should do something about the potholes and waterlogging situations,” said Pranita Waghmare, a commuter.
“During peak office hours, traffic snarls can be seen, and they last for more than an hour, especially when you enter the IT park. Most of the IT companies are shifting to Bangalore and Hyderabad due to the bad infrastructure in Pune," said Prachi Sherekar, an employee of a multi-national company.
