Waterleak at Sangamwadi RTO puts citizens’ lives at risk; civic authorities play blame game

It’s been a daily hurdle for hundreds of commuters using the railway underpass near the Sangamwadi Regional Transport Office (RTO) as a major waterleak is causing thousands of litres of water to go to waste, with commuters at risk of slipping and falling.

Both the governing bodies – the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and the Pune railway division are playing a blame game, with no action forthcoming.

Nilesh Mahajan, a Pune resident, complained about the leak to the PMC and the Pune railway division a month ago and has been continuously following up the issue.

“I travel through this underpass daily for my work and there is not a single day when I have not seen water leaking at this spot under the railway bridge near the Sangamwadi RTO. Daily there is a continuous flow of water and waterlogging happens. Water is wasted and moreover, several accidents have happened. As a responsible citizen, I decided to complain and get the repairs done. First I complained to the PMC water supply department, met their engineers and a spot survey was done. Then they said is the work of the railway officials,” said Mahajan.

“The Pune railway division maintenance and repair department also surveyed the spot. The frustrating part is that both these governing agencies and their senior officials sent letters to each other instructing that the water leakage be repaired. As citizens we just want the water leakage to stop,” he added.

Mahajan has copies of letters were sent by the governing bodies to each another.

The latest letter dated on December 21, 2021, was sent by OP Patel, assistant divisional engineer from the Pune railway division maintenance department to PMC’s executive engineer, Water supply department. The letter states: “Leakage in the water pipeline has been seen at RTO chowk near Height guage, due to which water is spreading on the main road resulting heavy traffic jam in the said location. We have received complaint in this regard. Also there is no Railway water connection at this location. Therefore you are requested to depute your staff to attend to the said complaint in the above location at the earliest, to avoid traffic jams”.

Whereas an earlier letter from the PMC water supply department to the Pune railway division on November 16, 2021, read: “There is a leakage near coaching complex, in front of your gate near Pune RTO. As this area is under your jurisdiction, please carry out the water leakage repairing work as early as possible. There are chances of mishap on turning road due to heavy traffic. So please stop this leakage at the earliest, otherwise you will be responsible for any loss to life and property”.

The spot where water leakage is going on continuously is the road connecting Junna Bazaar towards RTO. “For the last several months I am seeing this water leakage and once I saw a two-wheeler rider fall down as her bike slipped. PMC or Railways should repair it immediately,” said Bipin Dharmadhikari, a daily commuter.