The incessant rainfall hitting Pune on Sunday and Monday has turned Baner-Mahalunge Road, Balewadi Road and Aundh-Baner Road into a swimming pool. The ongoing construction of Pune Metro Line 3 further
alleviated the commuting problems of office goers. With three days early withdrawal of the south-west monsoon from the estimated September 17 timelines from Rajasthan, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of heavy rainfall over northwest Maharashtra and Vidarbha region, cautioning of large-scale damage.
Many residents and people on social media have raised concerns over the worsening infrastructure in the city. They have held poor drainage systems and incomplete civic projects responsible for the situation.
'Not possible to commute safely'
The city has witnessed heavy downpours in a short time, twice this monsoon season, with rains inundating low-lying areas and stranding thousands. Sachin Pal, an IT professional and a resident of Baner, told The Free Press Journal, "The stretches from Pancard Club on Balewadi Road and Datta Mandir Chowk on Baner-Mahalunge Road, and the Aundh-Baner Link Road are heavily waterlogged. It is not possible to commute safely."
'Big potholes have been formed'
Aniket Lokhande, a delivery boy, said, "My motorcycle bumped the pothole a couple of times in an ankle-deep-filled pothole on Baner-Pashan road. Due to ongoing Metro construction, big potholes have been formed on the road, which have made commuting on these roads a dangerous task."
The Pune Metro Line 3, a 23.3 km elevated corridor from Hinjawadi to Shivajinagar, has been a double-edged sword. Though assuring a respite for more than four lakh daily commuters on its completion (now postponed to 2026 from the initial March 2025 deadline), the current construction has constricted lanes, broken pavements and clogged stormwater drains.
Sections such as Balewadi Phata to Baner Gaon and Aundh Road junctions are sites of chaos, where uneven roads and unexpected diversions have resulted in hours-long gridlocks. Early morning of September 14, a huge traffic jam at Radha Chowk held up cars for long hours on roads to Pashan, Mahalunge and Hinjawadi.
'Where is the traffic management?'
IT professional Abhijeet Salunkhe, caught in the jam on Pashan Road, told FPJ, "From the Skoda showroom to the Yuthika building (500 meters) took more than half an hour. Metro pillars are erected, but where is the traffic management?"
People complain of the same misery across the board. On Baner-Mahalunge Road, by the NICMAR and Laxmi Nagar stations, water collects due to buried drainage chambers from resurfacing works. Balewadi Road, which connects to the Balewadi Stadium station, also experiences frequent breakdowns since cars bump into potholes filled with rainwater. Aundh-Baner Road, which is crucial for travel to hospitals such as Jupiter, is occupied by encroachments and damaged footpaths.
'School kids and elderly risk their lives'
"School kids and elderly risk their lives every day," said Baner resident Gayatri Kshirsagar. "Metro construction is necessary, but why no temporary drains or clear markings?" she asked.
The crisis highlights larger infrastructure breakdowns in the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) areas. In its annual pre-monsoon surveys, PMC has identified waterlogging points in Aundh, Baner, and Shivajinagar, but civic efforts to improve the roads have been inadequate. Meanwhile, back in April, PMC had allocated 65 crore for road repair and maintenance, which was to be completed by May 31 as per the civic estimates committee, but it seems work is still far from completion.
The quick response team formed by PMC's Disaster Management Cell has failed to resolve rain-related issues that cause inconvenience to commuters, says Rakesh Prasad, a retired Army personnel.
'Too little, too late'
On September 11, PMC conducted an anti-encroachment drive jointly with other wards in Aundh-Baner, removing encroachments along roads and nullahs that escalated flooding. But locals such as Amit Bhandari of Aundh described it as "too little, too late." "Encroachments on Ramnadi and Devnadi have made our area a flood zone," Bhandari said. "Last week's drive eliminated some vendors, but unless permanent action is taken, waterlogging will be back with the rains again," he added.
The city planning has been marred by the challenges of inadequate roads, a poor drainage system and a lethargic civic response from the authorities. It is surprising to see that these areas are among the fastest-growing areas in recent times. However, infrastructure has failed to keep pace with the rising population. The response from the residents echoes the demand for adequate planning and not empty assurances. With the IMD predicting further spells of heavy rain, citizens are demanding that PMC, PCMC, and PMRDA act now.
