Pune: With the monsoon season just three months away, residents of societies near Ambil Odha remain anxious as the issue of boundary wall construction remains unresolved. While some societies have funded the construction on their own, others, struggling with costs, have urged the municipal corporation to take action.
However, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has stated that building boundary walls for private societies is beyond its jurisdiction, leaving several residential societies vulnerable to flooding and security threats.
The 2019 floods in Pune led to significant loss of life and property damage, prompting the PMC to undertake the construction of boundary walls in its areas of jurisdiction. Under its budget allocation, boundary walls were built in locations such as Aranyeshwar’s Butterfly Garden, Rajendranagar’s Farshi Bridge, Katraj Crematorium, and Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park.
However, boundary walls around Vaikunth Crematorium in Navi Peth, which also protected societies like Sundarban Society, Anandbag Society, and Phatakbag Society, were destroyed in the floods. The affected societies, along with Sneh Sanvardhini Institution, which maintains open spaces in four societies, have since been advocating for reconstruction of these walls.
The Maharashtra state government had approved ₹200 crore for constructing boundary walls around Ambil Odha, but the funds have not yet been released. With no progress in sight, residents fear another year of flooding and security risks.
"PMC has built boundary walls on its land, and some private societies have requested assistance as well. However, the corporation cannot provide funding for private societies due to policy restrictions."
— Santosh Tandale, Superintendent Engineer, Drainage Department, PMC