Pune: Several key roads in the Pune Cantonment Board (PCB) limits have become extremely challenging due to potholes after the recent spells of heavy rainfall, triggering widespread criticism from residents and civic activists.They alleged the cantonment authorities failed to undertake adequate pre-monsoon road maintenance. Residents said roads across the cantonment have deteriorated rapidly after the first spell of monsoon.This is making daily commuting difficult and raising concerns over road safety for motorists, pedestrians and military personnel living in the area, they said.Local activist and resident Murtaza Poonawalla said the condition of roads reflected the lack of proper monsoon preparedness.“The quality of road repairs before the monsoon was far below the required standard. As a result, several roads developed large potholes immediately after the recent rainfall. Residents are paying the price for poor planning and delayed maintenance,” he said.Activists also alleged that the absence of a comprehensive maintenance plan has resulted in large potholes developing on several major roads within days of the rains.PCB officials, however, said they have initiated steps to assess the damage. Vijay Chavan, officiating Executive Engineer of the Pune Cantonment Board, told TOI, “The engineering department would conduct a detailed survey of all the roads over the next few days before taking up repairs. Basic repair work will be undertaken as per our capacity at the earliest.”He added that the board had repaired a few damaged stretches along the Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj Palkhi procession route over the last two days to facilitate the annual pilgrimage.Officials, however, attributed the poor condition of roads largely to the PCB’s continuing financial crisis, which has severely affected its ability to undertake large-scale infrastructure maintenance.Sanjay Kawade, a resident and activist from Ghorpadi, criticised the PCB for depending on agencies such as the Pune Municipal Corporation for executing civic works.“This dependence has delayed repairs and added to the hardship faced by cantonment residents, including serving defence personnel and their families. Road repairs must be treated as a priority before the situation worsens during the peak monsoon,” he said.An army officer requesting anonymity said, “Except for a few stretches repaired ahead of the Pune Grand Tour cycling event, most roads have remained in poor condition for years. With every monsoon comes the same problem, but there is no permanent solution.”Another commuter, Rohit Kale, said potholes have become a serious safety hazard. “Two-wheeler riders are particularly vulnerable. During rains, waterlogging hides the potholes. It increases the risk of accidents. The authorities should not wait for complaints every year,” he said.Residents, veterans and serving army officers have urged the cantonment board to immediately begin emergency repairs and prepare a long-term road maintenance plan to prevent recurring damage and ensure safer roads for civilians and the sizeable military population residing in the Pune Cantonment area.
