Pune’s flagship ₹200 crore flood control initiative, launched to protect vulnerable neighbourhoods along the Ambil Odha and city nullahs, has ground to an unexpected halt, sparking alarm just weeks before the arrival of the monsoon.
The ambitious civic infrastructure project remains paralysed, six months after being sanctioned by the Maharashtra government, as not a single rupee of the promised funding has reached the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).The plan, which aimed to construct robust retaining walls and modern drainage reinforcements across key flood-prone zones, was devised in response to the 2019 flood disaster that devastated residential colonies near the Ambil Odha. But with tenders now scrapped and civil works frozen, residents fear a repeat of the catastrophe — particularly after a housing society’s boundary wall collapsed in Padmavati during heavy pre-monsoon showers earlier this week.
Multiple stakeholders have pointed fingers at each other, but the ground reality remains unchanged: the state’s financial commitment has not been honoured, despite the minister of state for civil aviation and cooperation Murlidhar Mohol’s repeated follow-ups with Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.Initial tenders floated by the PMC had attracted bids nearly 20% below estimated costs, promising financial efficiency. But objections from a section of legislators over alleged favouritism in awarding contracts led to delays. Opposition leaders claim that the resulting impasse is rooted in political manoeuvring, not administrative hurdles.
Former corporator Ashwini Kadam of the NCP (SP) alleged that the delay was deliberate, accusing ruling party legislators of stalling disbursals to serve vested interests. “Was this announcement just another election-time promise?” she asked, voicing a sentiment echoed by many wary citizens.Rupesh Adsul, a resident of Sahakar Nagar, reflected the growing anxiety on the ground. “Every time it rains, we’re filled with dread,” he said. “There’s no confidence that the city can handle another cloudburst.”
The civic administration maintains that preparatory work has been undertaken where possible. Jagdish Khanore, chief superintendent engineer of PMC’s drainage department, stated that desilting and widening of the Ambil Odha and Katraj Lake have increased the water-carrying capacity for now. “We’ve already submitted fresh appeals to the district collector and the state. We are awaiting a response,” he said.As monsoon clouds gather, so does public pressure. Inaction at this juncture risks not just property and infrastructure, but public trust in both governance and disaster preparedness. With urban resilience at stake, many argue that Pune cannot afford to let political brinkmanship dictate the pace of critical infrastructure — especially when lives hang in the balance.
While the project may have been a political talking point once, for Pune’s citizens, its completion is now a matter of urgent climate resilience and urban survival.
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