Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) has identified 13 critical points where natural water streams have been obstructed due to encroachments, unregulated construction, and poor infrastructure planning. The agency has initiated enforcement proceedings, including the issuance of formal notices to violators, and has directed government departments to register criminal cases against those found responsible.
The flooding, which has increasingly disrupted daily life across Hinjewadi Phases 1, 2, and 3, as well as the Pune Metro route, has been traced to a combination of blocked natural drainage, unplanned diversions, and low-lying road profiles that trap rainwater. The latest findings emerged from an interim technical report submitted on 19 June, prompting swift administrative action led by PMRDA Commissioner and supported by officials from the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC), Pune Zilla Parishad, Gram Panchayats, and Pune IT City Metro Rail Limited.
PMRDA has confirmed that construction activities near vital water channels — some under the jurisdiction of MIDC and others under local bodies — have narrowed or entirely blocked stream flow. These channels once acted as natural stormwater escape routes for the undulating terrain of western Pune. However, recent real estate expansion and infrastructure development projects, including elevated metro structures, have altered the natural hydrology of the region, aggravating water accumulation and damage during monsoon spells.
In the joint review meeting, agencies acknowledged a long-standing gap in coordinated planning and enforcement. The Commissioner directed immediate corrective measures, calling for road regrading, drain de-silting, and pothole repairs along affected metro corridors. He also stressed the need for an integrated stormwater management plan that includes both engineering interventions and legal deterrents to prevent further encroachments.
The issue, however, extends beyond short-term fixes. According to PMRDA officials, the problem is emblematic of a larger governance gap in rapidly urbanising nodes like Hinjewadi, where multiple departments often work in isolation. Citizens, particularly those in the Rajiv Gandhi IT Park and adjacent localities like Mann and Marunji, have repeatedly voiced concerns about jurisdictional confusion, delayed responses, and fragmented accountability.To address this, local elected representatives have petitioned the state government for a dedicated planning authority for the IT zone, which would bring services under a unified command structure. This proposal aims to streamline interventions and reduce citizen dependency on overlapping departments such as PMRDA, MIDC, the municipal corporation, the police, and the electricity board.
Meanwhile, enforcement agencies including the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) have joined the effort to identify and verify the legality of the structures blocking water channels. Site inspections are underway to compare constructions with sanctioned development plans before initiating demolition or penalty proceedings.The broader narrative emerging from Hinjewadi’s flooding is one of competing development pressures in a high-growth urban hub, colliding with the need for environmental prudence and regulatory foresight.
While PMRDA’s recent actions suggest a welcome shift towards proactive governance, the long-term effectiveness of these measures will depend on sustained inter-agency collaboration, stricter land-use enforcement, and climate-resilient urban planning. In the absence of this, the city risks compromising its economic growth to the fallout of ecological neglect.
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