PMC files police complaint over stormwater line blockage

Pune: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Tuesday approached the police with complaint application against an unknown person for laying optical fibre cables in stormwater lines on Sinhagad Road.

The complaint application was submitted by PMC’s drainage department at Parvati Police Station on Tuesday evening. HT in its Monday edition had reported how optical fibre cables (OFC) laid through stormwater lines clogged it, preventing rainwater from receding on Sinhagad Road.

Naresh Raikar, deputy engineer, PMC Road Department, said, “We approached the police officials on Monday. However, since the police requested the written application on an official letter, we submitted the letter at Dattawadi Chowky under Parvati Police Station on Tuesday.”

Nandkumar Gaikwad, inspector, Parvati Police Station said, “As we have received the official complaint from PMC about illegal laying of cables in stormwater lines that caused water blockage, we will investigate the case and act accordingly.”

On Saturday, different parts of the city, including the main road from PL Deshpande Garden to Ranka Jewellers Shop on Sinhagad Road, faced waterlogging. Drainage and road department officials on Sunday visit the area and found that OFC cables laid in stormwater lines blocked the water flow and inundated the road. The civic administration removed the cables from the drain lines.

Kunal Yadav, junior engineer, PMC road department, said, “Police will act on our complaint filed Tuesday evening.”

Meanwhile, civic activists and residents said they expected a more concrete action from the civic administration.

Civic activist Sudhir Kulkarni said, “It is an eyewash by PMC to file a complaint against an unknown person. Every year, PMC files complaints against unknown persons for illegal excavation and laying cables. The civic body files complaint under pressure from public and media and fails to take any action. The officials know the companies and contractors as the latter had sought permission to lay cables. Yet, they don’t want to expose the name of the company or contractor. They should at least act against the officials who sanctioned permission to lay cables.”

Swapnil Gujar, resident of Sinhagad Road area, said, “How can anyone lay cables in stormwater lines without the knowledge of PMC officials? After public criticism, PMC acted and cut the cables. Interestingly, the drainage department exposed the scam involving OFC companies. The road department should take action as they built the roads and stormwater lines. The municipal commissioner should take strict action against the irresponsible road department officials and break the nexus with the help of police.”

Ashish Mane, another civic activist, said, “Notices and imposing fines do not serve the purpose to curb illegal digging and laying cables. PMC completes only formalities to serve legal notices, file police complaints and impose fines. I had exposed illegal digging on airport road in Vimannagar on June 2022. Nothing has happened yet.”

According to officials, the police complaint mentions the name of one of the top telecom companies that provides internet service.

Nilesh Champekar, junior engineer, PMC drainage department, said, “We have removed cables, laid in patches of 100-500 metres, on one kilometre stretch on Sinhagad Road.”