Pune: Citizens Slam PMC Over Week-Long Open Trench Causing Jams on Nagar Road
Viman Nagar, 18th April 2025: A large trench left open for over two weeks opposite Shree Hospital on Nagar Road has become a major cause of traffic congestion during peak hours, prompting sharp criticism from local citizens.
The Association of Nagar Road Citizens Forum (ANRCF) has submitted a formal complaint to Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) officials, including Commissioner Dr. Rajendra Bhosale, flagging the issue and demanding immediate action.
“This trench, which occupies over half the width of Nagar Road at a critical junction, has been causing untold inconvenience. There is no accountability, no work progress, and no information about who is responsible,” said Qaneez Sukhrani, Convenor of ANRCF, in a letter dated April 17.
Sukhrani has directly accused the PMC of negligence. “When we enquired with the labourers on site, they couldn’t identify which department was handling the work. Even the heads of the Road and Project Departments were unaware of the project details. There is no PMC engineer present on site, and there is no information board displayed, as mandated under the Trenching Policy,” she said.
The absence of proper signage and project details has further frustrated local residents and commuters. According to Sukhrani, the lack of transparency violates PMC’s own policies and leaves the public in the dark about who is responsible for the delay and disruption.
She demanded that the road be restored using original materials by April 20, warning that any further delay would not be tolerated by citizens. “Even if the trench had to be dug, the work must be completed within a reasonable time frame, not left unattended for weeks. We are simply asking PMC to be more responsible and public-friendly,” she added.
The complaint has been addressed to key PMC officials, including Additional Commissioners Prithviraj BP, Mahesh Patil, and Pradip Chandran, along with Chief Engineers of the Road and Project Departments, and DCP (Traffic) Amol Zhende.
As of now, no official response has been received from the Pune Municipal Corporation.
