Pimpri-Chinchwad’s Ganesh immersion procession routes continue to face extensive pothole damage, with the civic administration claiming that only 252 of the 3,060 potholes identified since June remain to be repaired ahead of the procession on Friday, September 25. Recent heavy rain has worsened road conditions in several parts of the city, raising concerns about traffic movement and two-wheeler safety.
The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation has said it repaired 2,809 potholes, or 91.80 per cent of those recorded since June. The repairs used different methods, including asphalt and cold mix for 992 potholes, bitumen-bound macadam for 54, gravel for 1,289, paving blocks for 245 and concrete for 229.
The figures were reported by Loksatta, which also reported allegations that the civic administration’s pre-festival claim of making the city pothole-free had not been met. The report said that two days of heavy rain had added to the damage on roads across Pimpri-Chinchwad.
The city has approximately 2,073 kilometres of roads, including paved, unpaved, asphalt and concrete stretches. These roads range from 12 feet to 80 feet in width. The scale of the network means that repair quality, inspection and post-rain monitoring remain important for keeping major routes usable during large public events.
Road conditions have reportedly deteriorated along the Mumbai-Pune Highway between Pimpri and Chinchwad station, as well as on service roads in Nigdi. Several stretches of the bus rapid transit route have also developed potholes. Loose gravel displaced from damaged surfaces has caused two-wheelers to skid, while motorists have been forced to manoeuvre around potholes, slowing traffic and contributing to congestion.
The timing is significant because the immersion procession is expected to place additional pressure on roads used by floats, pedestrians, public transport and private vehicles. Uneven surfaces can also complicate movement for emergency services and municipal teams managing crowd and traffic arrangements, although the supplied report does not provide details of route diversions or event-specific traffic plans.
The municipal administration’s figures indicate that most recorded potholes have been addressed, but the remaining defects are concentrated within an urban road network used daily by commuters and during major civic and cultural events. The report does not specify whether the 252 remaining potholes are located on procession routes or provide a deadline for completing those repairs.
The civic administration’s next operational task is to address the remaining potholes and manage road conditions before the immersion procession scheduled for September 25.
