2,886 new CCTV cameras to be installed across Pune.
Unplanned digging caused traffic and footpath damage.
PMC to mark sites before excavation resumes.
Pune, 17 October 2025: Pune is set to get 2,886 new CCTV cameras as part of a security upgrade project approved by the State Government. For this, underground cables need to be laid across city, involving around 550 kilometres of road excavation. However, unplanned digging and lack of coordination between the police department’s contractor and the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) have led to major public inconvenience.
While road excavation was paused for the Diwali festival, it is set to continue afterward. The PMC's road department will now designate the precise areas where digging is permitted. Contractors must follow strictly to these markings before starting any excavation work.
Earlier, the police contractor had permission to dig up to 75 kilometres, but they started digging at multiple locations simultaneously, leading to major traffic issues. During a review meeting, the Police Commissioner's office warned the contractor and instructed them to improve coordination and complete the work systematically.
A major problem has been the damage caused to footpaths. In many areas, pedestrian pathways were dug up, including the well-known Savkar Bhavan footpath. After the cables were laid, the task of road restoration was handed over to the PMC. However, due to inadequate coordination, numerous roads remain unrepaired, leading to additional restoration costs for the civic authority.
At a review meeting on Thursday, Additional Commissioner Omprakash Divte instructed PMC and police officials, as well as contractors, to implement strategies to reduce damage during excavation.
Additional Commissioner Omprakash Divte said the PMC will mark the exact areas where road digging is allowed so that public inconvenience and civic damage can be avoided. Contractors will receive excavation permission only after these markings are completed by junior and deputy engineers.
