Pune: Man And Nine-Year-Old Daughter Fall Into 10-Ft Open Drain On Punawale Service Road; No Barricades Even After Incident
Reported by Shoaib Tadvi
Punawale, 2nd November 2026: A man and his nine-year-old daughter fell into an approximately 10-foot-deep open drainage pit on the Service Road near Punawale Bazaar, Punawale, on Sunday. Both escaped with minor injuries, including scratches, but the incident has raised concerns over public safety and the alleged negligence in securing open drainage infrastructure.
The man, identified as Shaji, who works from home for Vensure in Noida, was travelling with his wife and two daughters, including his nine-year-old elder daughter, Shenika, to attend a function. However, due to heavy rainfall and traffic congestion near the Punawale tunnel, they decided to return home, which was approximately one kilometre away.
Recounting the incident, Shaji said, “The Punawale tunnel was completely jammed due to rain and traffic. We were on our way to attend a function, but the traffic was so heavy that we decided to return home. Since our house was just one kilometre away, we got down and started walking.”
He further said that while he and his elder daughter were walking a few steps ahead of his wife and younger daughter, both of them suddenly fell into the open drainage pit.
“I initially thought my daughter had not fallen, but when I looked back, I realised that she had also fallen into the drain. I started shouting for help, following which some bike riders rushed to assist us and helped us get out,” Shaji said.
Fortunately, neither Shaji nor Shenika sustained any serious injuries. Both suffered minor scratches and escaped major harm.
However, Shaji alleged that the drainage pit was still left open without any barricades even after the incident. He said that when the family revisited the spot at around 11 am on Monday, they found that no barricading had been installed to prevent pedestrians from accidentally falling into it.
The incident has raised serious questions about pedestrian safety in the area, particularly during the monsoon when waterlogging and traffic congestion force people to use alternative routes.
The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) needs to look into the incident and ensure that the open drainage pit is immediately secured with proper barricades and warning signs to prevent similar accidents.
