Why Are Pune’s Newly Asphalted Roads Being Dug Up Again? PMC Data Reveals 2,388 Permissions
Pune, 27th October 2026: Freshly asphalted roads in Pune are being dug up again to lay underground utility lines, raising concerns over the wastage of public money and inconvenience to motorists. Despite restoration work, several stretches are left with potholes and uneven surfaces, making travel difficult.
According to data from the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) road department, the civic body has issued 2,388 permissions since 2017 for laying underground optical fibre cables (OFC). These works have involved road excavation over a cumulative length of 1,495 km.
Apart from OFC cables, roads across the city are excavated to lay water pipelines, drainage lines, electricity cables, gas pipelines and other utilities. The PMC grants permissions for such work to government, semi-government and private agencies after collecting the prescribed charges.
The road department generally permits excavation from October 1 to April 30. Agencies are expected to complete road restoration in the following month. The civic body also undertakes road repairs and asphalting ahead of the monsoon.
Officials maintain that permission is not granted for excavating recently asphalted roads. However, instances of roads being dug up within days of asphalting have been reported, raising questions about coordination between the civic body and utility service providers.
PMC Charges Vary by Agency and Excavation Method
The PMC levies different charges for road excavation depending on the agency undertaking the work and the method used.
Private companies are charged Rs 12,192 per running metre, while the rate for the electricity board is Rs 2,350 per metre. Excavation using horizontal directional drilling (HDD) technology attracts a charge of Rs 4,000 per metre, while excavation involving pits costs Rs 6,160 per metre.
Other government agencies are charged Rs 6,096 per metre, equivalent to 50% of the standard rate applicable to private companies.
Repeated excavation and subsequent repairs add to the burden of maintaining the city’s road network. Poor restoration can also leave motorists navigating potholes and uneven surfaces, increasing inconvenience and potentially affecting road safety.
649 Excavation Permissions Issued Before 2017
Before 2017, the PMC had issued 649 permissions for road excavation, all for laying underground OFC cables. The records mention charges amounting to Rs 485.81 crore for these works.
Permissions for overhead cables issued before 2017 fall under the civic body’s electrical department.
Since 2017, the road department has not issued any permissions for laying overhead OFC cables. The electrical department has issued two permissions for overhead cables, while temporary permission has been granted for cable work related to the disaster management cell.
No Centralised Digital Map of Underground Utilities
Another major challenge is the absence of a consolidated digital map showing the precise locations of underground utility networks across Pune.
Water pipelines, drainage networks, electricity cables, gas pipelines and internet cables are laid beneath roads by different agencies. However, the PMC does not have a single digital map identifying the locations of all these underground networks.
As a result, officials sometimes have to seek assistance from retired officers to locate old water pipelines before undertaking new work. Water pipelines are also frequently damaged during excavation, leading to service disruptions and additional repair costs.
The lack of a centralised record of underground utilities complicates excavation planning and increases the risk of damage to existing infrastructure. Better coordination among civic departments and utility agencies, along with a comprehensive digital mapping system, could help prevent repeated excavation, protect underground networks and reduce unnecessary expenditure on road repairs.
