Concerns Raised Over Quality of Pune Road Repairs Amid Low-Cost Tenders

Pune, 15th December 14, 2024: While Pune’s roads continue to deteriorate, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has floated tenders worth ₹16.38 crore for asphalting and repairing city roads. However, these tenders have been awarded at rates 20-35 percent lower than the pre-estimated cost, raising concerns about whether contractors will maintain the quality of work. Experts warn that without stringent monitoring, the city may face recurring pothole problems within days of asphalting.
Potholes are a persistent issue in Pune, often resulting from road digging for water supply lines, sewage pipes, rain gutters, mobile cables, and gas pipelines. Once these works are completed, the excavated patches are hastily filled with asphalt. However, these repairs often fail to last, with roads subsiding and potholes reappearing soon after. The problem is exacerbated during the monsoon season, leaving roads uneven and posing risks to commuters, particularly two-wheeler riders.
To address the issue, the PMC’s Road Department launched a tender process for major and minor road repairs across the city. The proposals, which have been placed before the Standing Committee for approval, include significant cost reductions, raising questions about the quality of materials and workmanship.
Road Repair Projects and Tender Discounts
The following projects have been highlighted for their significant cost reductions:
- Yerawada Post Office to Psychiatric Hospital: 23.75 percent less
- Vadgaon Budruk Indian Hume Pipe to Prayeja City: 18.70 percent less
- Wagholi Bawdi Road (up to municipal limits): 23.91 percent less
- Eastern Pune road milling works: 35.05 percent less
- 30-meter-wide bypass road in Wagholi: 24.11 percent less
- Warje Shinde Bridge to Kondhwa Gate Canal road: 3.3 percent less
- Mangdewadi and other newly incorporated villages’ road development: 22.10 percent less
- Keshavnagar Lonkar Chowk to Renuka Mata Temple road: 24.27 percent less
- Karvenagar Warghade Chowk to DP road: 25.26 percent less
Despite these discounts, the PMC has assured residents of maintaining quality through inspections by Engineers India Limited (EIL).
Aniruddha Pawaskar, Head of the PMC Road Department, emphasized that contractors, even at reduced rates, are obligated to adhere to quality standards. “The pre-calculation sheet prepared by the municipality is accurate, but the contractors have to accept the work at lower rates. Ensuring good quality is our responsibility. Every project is inspected by Engineers India Limited (EIL), and no work is finalized without their certification,” he said.