Hundreds of residents from the Wagholi area are troubled by the daily commute as one half of the main Bawadi Road, which connects a residential area and shops to key locations, has been dug up and left unrepaired for over a month. Residents of Ivy Estate Road in Wagholi staged a protest in front of the society gate, raising slogans for better drainage. The society, home to over 25,000 tax-paying residents, is forced to wade through drainage water every monsoon.
As per the residents, the road starts from Wagheswar Temple and connects to Lohegaon. The entire road was dug up a month ago and is still not repaired. The pre-monsoon has worsened the condition, as the entire road has become slippery. Motorists as well as pedestrians are finding it extremely difficult to move on the uneven roads.
Shantanu Dev, an IT professional and a resident of Wagholi, highlighted that the area needs a lot of development, not just in terms of decongesting traffic, but also managing the garbage menace, waterlogged roads, housing societies, mosquito infestation, broken footpaths and parking issues.
"The condition of Wagholi in 2025 is way more pathetic. Constructing buildings is not merely development. What about road connectivity, proper drainage and streamlined traffic flow? Are we asking for more? It's the basic things we are asking for. During peak summers, we don't get water, and then there's the tanker mafia. During monsoon, we struggle with potholes and waterlogging. In winter, we deal with low air quality due to construction and the mismanagement of garbage burning. Some issues like traffic, remain constant. A few weeks ago, they dug one side of the main Nagar highway to the internal roads of Wagholi. It's a crucial stretch for most residents. We have put up complaints, but no action has been taken so far," he added.
Ayesha Khatoon, a marketing professional and resident of Majestic City, said, "Most of us are tired of putting up complaints as no sign of improvement can be seen, and some people got fed up and moved to different locations. I commute by bike, and one day my bike slipped while I was heading to my office. Luckily, I received no injuries, but the entire stretch has become treacherous. It's very risky for two-wheelers, especially when parents take their kids to school. One slip can cause major damage, and it can even be a life threat. Authorities should speed up the repair work and make the road even at the earliest."
Ravi Kumar, another resident, said, "Ivy Estate Road in Wagholi is home to over 25,000 tax-paying citizens, yet it continues to be ignored by PMC. Despite being one of the largest contributors to PMC’s revenue, residents are forced to wade through drainage water every monsoon. This year, even shops were flooded, and people slipped on sewage-filled streets. A PMC complaint (T58547) was shockingly closed with the excuse that the road isn’t under PMC, even though the entire area pays property tax to PMC. Promises made by our elected MLA to build an alternate road remain unfulfilled. It’s a classic case of taxation without basic civic care."
Satish Palkwar, a resident of Ivy Estate, said, "Some societies are directly releasing sewage water, and that is entering our society. The entire ground floor is submerged in dirty, foul-smelling drainage water. For people who are travelling by car, it's okay, but those using bikes and cycles are in real trouble. Also, it's a huge hassle for those who go for walks. The protest is still going on, and some people are on a hunger strike. When will the authorities wake up? Are they waiting for a few deaths to happen to take action? We are living in a very sad state."
Responding to the outrage, PMC Road Department Executive Officer, Vasant Shinde, said, "We have visited the site and have also issued notices to a few societies which are releasing untreated rainwater directly into the open ground. If they fail to respond to the notice, we will collect a fine and further action will be taken. Also, MLA Ashok Pawar visited yesterday and pushed for the completion of drainage work in the area."
A senior official of PMC, on the condition of anonymity, said, "The road work was on hold in the area due to early rains. The contractor has been informed to start work immediately. Work will begin by draining all the water that has accumulated on the spot."
