Pune Monsoon Drain Cleaning Tenders Delayed: PMC Struggles with Delayed Drainage and Stormwater Management Tenders

Pune, 27th May 2025: As the monsoon season descends upon Pune with heavy rains already causing waterlogging in city streets and drains, questions are being raised about the effectiveness and timing of recently issued cleaning tenders by the municipal authorities. Despite pre-monsoon planning, the process for cleaning nullahs and stormwater drains has faced significant delays.

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) had floated multiple tenders in April for the cleaning of city nullahs and stormwater drains ahead of the monsoon. These included 23 tenders for nullah cleaning worth Rs 14 crore and 15 tenders for stormwater drain cleaning worth Rs 12.5 crore. However, the early onset of rains has disrupted the schedule, with the work originally intended to be completed by June 7 now lagging behind.

Amid these delays, concerns have emerged regarding the quality of cleaning work. Reports indicate that debris from nullah cleaning is often left strewn within the drains or piled up along the banks, rather than being properly removed. This has further complicated drainage efforts, especially as heavy rains have already led to flooding in several areas.

Adding to the confusion, new tenders for cleaning in areas such as Sinhagad Road, Ahilyanagar Highway Vadgaonsheri, and Wagholi have only recently been issued and are awaiting approval from the standing committee. For example, a Rs 68,02,610 tender for stormwater drain cleaning in the Sinhagad Road area was submitted by Sarthak Construction, while a tender for nullah cleaning in the Wagholi area under the Nagar Road Vadgaonsheri Ward Office came in at 50% below the estimated cost, with contractor M.S. J.B. Chauhan quoting Rs 26,87,223.

With May drawing to a close and the monsoon already underway, the city has experienced severe flooding in several nullahs and streams, with debris being washed away by the deluge. The delay of nearly a month and a half in issuing these cleaning tenders has raised questions about their usefulness at this stage of the monsoon.

Additionally, tenders for the maintenance and repair of sewage lines have been issued for areas including Kothrud, Bavdhan, Yerawada Kalas Dhanori, Dhole Patil, and Sinhagad Road. These tenders have also been submitted at prices more than 30% below the municipal estimates, further highlighting the challenges faced by the administration in managing the city’s drainage and stormwater infrastructure during the peak monsoon period.