Pune: Considering the pathetic condition of the 8km stretch of Bhairoba Nala passing through the limits of the Pune Cantonment Board (PCB), the Board had proposed to concretise it in 2016 as the open nala became a garbage dumping site. After a delay of almost two years, the work on the 100m patch of the nala has started as a pilot project. 

Based on this pilot project, the board would get funding from the Union Ministry of Urban Development for the entire 8 km stretch.

The PCB would then continue with the proposed project to concretise the nala bed and build walls on both sides along the stretch. The new design includes fencing on both sides of the walls, a jogging track on one side and a water embankment or check dam at a certain distance or intervals to prevent overflow of water and renovate and beautify it.

Vinod Mathurawala, the corporator from Wanawadi, said, “The residents were facing several problems for the past many years, as people used to throw garbage in the open nala, which used to stink. Due to non-availability of funds, the board could not start the project. Now, the pilot project would be assessed by the Ministry of Urban Development.”

Sukhdev Patil, Executive Engineer of the PCB, said the stretch of the nala starts from Netajinagar and ends at the Ghorpadi pumping station. We are concretising the nala near the Mahadaji Shinde Chhatri as part of the pilot project. It will take a month to complete the work. The whole project would cost Rs 82 crore, which will be provided by the Union Ministry of Urban Development after the completion of this pilot project."