Pune, 8th July 2028: Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation and Cooperation Murlidhar Mohol on Tuesday strongly questioned the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) over persistent waterlogging across the city despite financial support from both the Central and Maharashtra governments.
He asked officials how many flood-prone locations had actually improved over the past three years and why several places continue to get inundated even after civic works were completed.
Reviewing the city's monsoon preparedness and disaster management measures at PMC headquarters, Mohol said Pune should not have a single location where citizens face avoidable hardships during the rainy season. The meeting was attended by Mayor Manjusha Nagpure, Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram, and senior officials from various civic departments.
During the meeting, PMC officials informed that the city has 120 identified waterlogging hotspots, of which improvement works at 85 locations have been completed.
Mohol, however, sought proof of the results. He asked how many of these 85 locations remained free from waterlogging during this year's rains and directed officials to present photographs of the sites taken during active rainfall at the next review meeting. His questions reportedly left civic officials struggling to provide immediate answers.
The Union Minister said Pune has been witnessing a change in rainfall patterns, with intense rain falling within shorter durations. He asked the administration what long-term planning had been undertaken to deal with this new reality and stressed that disaster management strategies must be updated accordingly.
He instructed the PMC to immediately operationalise the emergency control room on Sinhagad Road, increase the number of flood sensors along river channels, and ensure ward offices remain fully equipped to respond quickly to local complaints during the monsoon.
The meeting also reviewed Pune's worsening pothole problem. Mohol directed the administration to keep dedicated repair teams ready so that potholes can be filled as soon as complaints are received.
He also proposed launching a separate WhatsApp helpline that would allow citizens to directly report potholes to the PMC, enabling faster action.
Mohol emphasised that the administration must take the monsoon challenges seriously and ensure timely action to minimise inconvenience to residents. He said long-term planning, faster response systems, and greater accountability are essential to prevent recurring issues such as waterlogging and damaged roads every rainy season.
