Pune: PMC Deploys Night Squads and Rapid Patchwork Across 15 Wards for Pothole-Free Ganesh Festival
The Pune Municipal Corporation has launched an intensive citywide drive to repair damaged roads and fill potholes across all 15 ward offices ahead of the upcoming Ganesh festival. Under the direction of Additional Municipal Commissioner Omprakash Divte, civic officials have been ordered to complete all major resurfacing, chamber rectifications, and footpath repairs on priority, particularly along key 12-metre and 18-metre road stretches that experience heavy vehicular traffic and pedestrian movement during the annual festival.
Civic authorities conducted a comprehensive review of all zones and ward offices to outline immediate measures for smooth traffic management. Zone Deputy Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners have been instructed to execute daily on-site inspections within their respective jurisdictions to identify surface deficiencies and clear pending road reinstatement works.
The civic body has deployed both hot mix and cold mix technologies to speed up repairs, while paver blocks are being utilised at specific locations to stabilise uneven sections. Road department teams have already resurfaced nearly 5,000 square metres of road and repaired over 350 damaged locations, including arterial stretches across Bibwewadi, Sinhagad Road, Hadapsar, Baner, Kondhwa, Kharadi, Deccan, and Prince of Wales Drive. Contractors have been mandated to submit geotagged photographs of completed work to ensure accountability and verify progress before payments are processed.
Road department head Rajesh Bankar said the administration has mobilised teams to work through night hours to minimise traffic disruption during peak daytime commutes. He noted that while ongoing rainfall presents operational challenges, the coming fortnight remains critical for completing patchwork, adding that citizen complaints submitted to individual ward offices are being tracked daily for immediate redressal.
Despite the administration’s push, civic activists and opposition members have raised concerns regarding the long-term durability of the emergency repair work. Activists pointed out that rapid patchwork often crumbles within days of heavy rainfall, creating fresh hazards for commuters and festive processions. Civic groups have demanded strict quality monitoring of the materials used, emphasising that temporary fixes frequently fail to integrate smoothly with existing asphalt surfaces.
With Ganesh mandals already commencing the erection of pandals along major transit routes, the administration is focusing its final phase of work on clearing debris and sealing high-density procession corridors. Executive engineers across all divisions have been directed to maintain dedicated repair squads on standby throughout the festival period to address fresh road damage as celebrations begin.
