Pune's road conditions have deteriorated rapidly after the recent spell of heavy rainfall, but a severe shortage of bitumen has significantly hampered repair work. With potholes increasing across the city, residents continue to face difficult and unsafe commuting conditions, while large-scale road restoration has slowed due to limited availability of construction material.
The recent monsoon showers have exposed the poor durability of several roads repaired before the rainy season. Fresh potholes have appeared on newly resurfaced stretches, while loose gravel scattered across many roads has made driving risky. Roads in both the old city areas and suburban localities have been affected.
Earlier, PMC's Yerawada hot-mix plant supplied around 150 tonnes of bitumen mix daily to its regional offices for pothole repairs, while the Road Department also used nearly 150 metric tonnes each day for resurfacing works. However, the ongoing shortage has drastically reduced repair activities.
According to civic officials, the shortage is linked to disruptions in the petroleum supply chain caused by the ongoing conflict involving Iran. PMC earlier procured around 30 tonnes of processed bitumen daily from Mumbai refineries, but supplies have now dropped to only about 20 tonnes a week, creating a major challenge for road maintenance during the peak monsoon season.
To overcome the shortage, PMC has started exploring the option of purchasing bitumen from the refinery in Kochi, Kerala. The civic body plans to procure an initial consignment of 20 tonnes. However, officials are also evaluating whether transporting bitumen over such a long distance will be financially viable.
Additional Municipal Commissioner Omprakash Divte said that the shortage of bitumen has affected pothole repair work across the city. He said the civic body is trying to procure bitumen from the Kochi refinery, while cold mix is currently being used to carry out temporary pothole repairs until regular supplies improve.
