The Pabal-Thitewadi-Kendur road in Shirur taluka, Pune district, has become hazardous for motorists after large potholes, incomplete widening work and damaged road shoulders disrupted movement along the route connecting to the Belha-Jejuri highway. The Public Works Department (PWD) has said funds have been sanctioned for the initial section and that action has been initiated to complete the stalled work.
The most severely damaged stretch lies between Pabal and Thitewadi, where potholes have formed across approximately two kilometres of the road. The condition becomes more dangerous during the monsoon because rainwater collects in the potholes, making it difficult for motorists to judge their depth. Two-wheeler riders have to manoeuvre around the damaged sections, and incidents involving riders losing balance and falling have been reported.
The road is also affected by unfinished widening work. Road shoulders have been dug up at several locations, narrowing the usable carriageway. When two vehicles approach each other, drivers reportedly struggle to pass safely, leading on occasion to arguments between motorists. The incomplete shoulder work has therefore created an additional obstruction on a route already affected by potholes.
The road carries daily traffic from school students, farmers, milk suppliers and office workers. The poor condition has increased the difficulty of routine travel for residents in the surrounding villages, with two-wheeler users facing particular risks. The route’s connection to the Belha-Jejuri highway also makes it an important local link for passenger and goods movement.
The road had earlier received limited pothole repairs after social workers warned of a protest. However, according to the report, the repairs deteriorated within a few days, prompting residents to question the effectiveness of repeated temporary patchwork. Villagers and motorists are now demanding durable asphalt work across the affected road, along with completion of the widening and restoration of the damaged shoulders.
Shripad Balshetwar, sub-divisional officer of the Public Works Sub-Division, Pune, said funds had been sanctioned for the initial section of the Pabal-Kendur road. He said the administrative process had been completed and work would begin soon. Regarding the stalled section between Thitewadi and Kendur, Balshetwar said the concerned contractor had been issued a notice and instructed to complete the remaining work urgently.
The immediate milestones identified by the department are the start of the sanctioned work on the Pabal-Kendur section and completion of the remaining widening work between Thitewadi and Kendur. Until those works are carried out, residents and daily road users continue to face potholes, narrowed carriageways and unsafe shoulders on the route.
