Pune, August 22, 2023 – The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has poured a staggering amount of almost Rs 2,100 crores into road maintenance within the past six years. Despite this significant financial allocation, the city’s road conditions remain marred by potholes and deterioration, prompting a call for an additional infusion of at least Rs 1,000 crores to address the ongoing issue.
Despite recent approvals for road repair projects amounting to Rs 400 crores, doubts have arisen regarding the effectiveness of such investments.
As Pune grapples with a shortage of funds and a cycle of patchwork road repairs followed by subsequent excavation, the city’s streets are at risk of reverting to their pockmarked state, casting a shadow over the possibility of smooth and well-maintained roads in the near future. Importantly, while Rs 400 crores have been earmarked for road repairs in recent times, concerns have been raised about the long-term impact of these initiatives.
The road to a solution necessitates a coordinated effort across various departments, as VG Kulkarni, Chief Engineer of the Road Department, emphasized. Achieving comprehensive road repair and maintenance requires efficient collaboration and strategic allocation of resources.
This conundrum extends beyond road repairs alone, encompassing the PMC’s sewerage and electricity departments, as well as the extensive excavation activities due to metro line construction and service channel installations carried out by various entities – private, governmental, and semi-governmental alike. The persistent digging, excluding the monsoon season, contributes to the proliferation of potholes across the city’s roads, rendering the PMC’s road repair efforts akin to temporary fixes.
Over the past six years, the PMC has invested a substantial sum of Rs 2,100 crores in road repairs. Regrettably, despite this substantial financial commitment, road conditions continue to remain substandard. The lack of funds, coupled with a recurring process of re-excavation post-initial repairs and subpar repair quality, only exacerbates the pothole predicament.
This year, the Road Department of the PMC has been allotted Rs 400 crores for road repairs, along with regional-level funding for the same purpose. Despite undertaking repair works during the monsoon season, the methods employed during these endeavors have been criticized for their unscientific approach.
One notable aspect of the current road repair approach is the sporadic nature of the work. Instead of conducting comprehensive road restorations, repairs are executed periodically, resulting in a negative impact on the entire road network. This practice often leads to roads being dug up again shortly after repair efforts are completed, perpetuating the cycle of disrepair. This year’s trend reflects a similar pattern, raising concerns about the sustainability of these initiatives in the long run.
In order to fully rejuvenate the city’s road network, a budget of no less than Rs 1,000 crores is deemed necessary. However, due to the phased allocation of funds to the PMC, the scope of road repairs remains inherently constrained.
Snapshot of the Road Network: Pune’s road network spans 1,398.65 kilometers, encompassing roads of varying widths. This includes 944.12 kilometers of asphalt roads and 210.39 kilometers of concrete roads.
Expenditure Over Six Years:
- 2017-18: Rs 423 crores
- 2018-19: Rs 438 crores
- 2019-20: Rs 305 crores
- 2020-21: Rs 453 crores
- 2021-22: Rs 361 crores
- 2022-23: Rs 200 crores
As the PMC grapples with a perplexing puzzle of road maintenance and rehabilitation, the need for comprehensive, sustainable solutions remains an urgent priority.
