Pune: PMC to Mark Cable Lines Before Road Digging After Contractor’s Arbitrary Excavation

Pune, 17th October 2025: In the wake of a recent incident involving a police contractor digging roads arbitrarily after receiving permission, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to mark all cable lines before any future digging work is undertaken in the city.

As part of a citywide security project, 2,886 new CCTV cameras are to be installed by the police. The Municipal Corporation had earlier granted permission to the police contractor to dig roads for laying underground cables required for the CCTV network. However, the contractor allegedly exceeded the permitted limits and dug beyond the approved sections, even damaging footpaths and road dividers in several areas.

According to officials, PMC had allowed the contractor appointed by the Home Department to dig up to 75 kilometres, but the excavation extended indiscriminately across several zones. The civic administration has now been left with the financial burden of road repairs, which are expected to cost crores of rupees.

Taking serious note of the issue, Additional Municipal Commissioner Omprakash Divate said that PMC will now ensure that all digging work is pre-marked and supervised by civic officials. “The Municipal Corporation itself will mark the areas where cables are to be laid. This will prevent unnecessary damage to public property,” he said.

Under the ongoing CCTV installation project, around 550 kilometres of roads across PMC limits are expected to be dug for laying cables. The Municipal Commissioner has directed that the work be carried out in phases and strictly within the approved limits.

Meanwhile, the civic body has instructed the contractor to halt all digging work during the Diwali festival period to avoid inconvenience to citizens amid festive traffic. Officials said that future digging will be carefully planned to minimize public inconvenience and reduce repair costs.