PUNE: In the last six years, the PMC has spent ₹2,100 crore on road repairs. However, the condition of the roads is appalling and funds of ₹1,000 crore is required for repairs. However, shortage of funds, incomplete road repairs and the digging that follows repairs will mean that roads will continue to be in bad shape. Hence, Puneites will have to deal with potholes and there is little possibility that commuting will be a smooth affair. In the last few days, funds of ₹400 crore have been provided for road repairs.
However, this is likely to be a wasteful expenditure.
Various departments of PMC i.e. Road, Solid Waste Management, Electricity carry out road digging. Road digging is also carried out for metro works. Apart from this, government, semi government and private companies are also digging roads to lay service lines since many years. It is a fact that apart from monsoon, road digging activity takes place throughout the year. Hence, many potholes are developing on roads in the city and the PMC is forced to undertake road repair works on a regular basis which is proving to be a temporary solution.
In the last six years, the PMC has spent ₹2,100 crore on road repairs. However, the condition of the roads remains miserable. Lack of funds, frequent road digging and below average repair works are leading to mushrooming of potholes. The Road Department has been sanctioned funds of ₹400 crore. Since separate funds are allocated for the wards, they are also used for road repairs. This year, road repair works were undertaken during monsoon. The repairs were carried out in an unscientific manner.
After funds are sanctioned, the entire road is not repaired by the Road Department and only stretches are repaired. This creates problems for commuters travelling on the road. After the road repairs are carried out, the roads are dug again. Same thing is happening this year. This is certain to create problems and potholes will continue to develop on roads. Funds of ₹1,000 crore is required to repair all the roads. However, since the funds are made available in phases, there are limitations on road repairs.
The roads in the city are 1,398.65 km long. There are 970.86 km roads which have width of less than 12 metres, 314 km roads with width of 12 to 14 metres, 60.54 km roads with width of 24 to 30 metres, 29.96 km roads with width of 30 to 36 metre roads and 23.29 km roads with width of 36 to 61 metres. The length of asphalted roads is 944.12 km and 210.39 km roads are made of concrete.
2017-18 ₹423 crore
2018-19 ₹438 crore
2019-20 ₹305 crore
2020-21 ₹453 crore
2021-22 ₹361 crore
2022-23 ₹200 crore
“Funds of ₹1,000 crore are required to repair asphalted roads in the city. However, the roads are in poor shape due to constant digging. Hence, there should be coordination between various departments,” said Chief of Road Department VG Kulkarni.
