Drainage retaining wall collapses in Undri due to rain, shops affected

A hair salon and a coffee shop had to shutter because of the water entering the premises. Prashant Dhanale, 21, a worker at a local coffee shop whose stall flooded as well, said, “The PMC was supposed to install a bigger drainage pipe, but they didn’t. Because of that, the water got blocked and built up pressure, which led to the wall collapsing.”

Ajay Vayase, Executive engineer, Pune Municipal Corporation, who was present at the scene, said, “This is not a rainwater line issue, this is a drainage issue. The drainage pipe that passes through the middle of the road, has been clogged and we have had complaints about constant clogging of water, and hence we had asked for a bigger pipe to be installed, for which Mr. Ganesh Puram, had applied, and is still awaiting permission from the police for installing it.”

Ganesh Puram, the official from the drainage department of Pune Municipal Corporation, refuted these claims, saying this was not a drainage issue but one of rainwater. He added, “I had applied for permission from the Deputy commissioner of police to install the new bigger pipes for the drainage, on the 6th of March. And we are still awaiting permission because the traffic diversion and road clearance would be a major hindrance. And besides, If the wall collapsed due to the drainage line, then it would have collapsed two months before, not today, it’s just because of the heavy rain from the last two days. The rain water pipes below the road are insufficient to carry rain water. Drainage line of 900 mm laying work has been completed two months before except for the road crossing part which is still awaiting permission.”

A local resident expressed frustration over the repeated negligence. One of the locals said, “We had complained to the PMC, two or three times before but they didn’t do anything. The water was filling up and we had to make a small hole to release it ourselves, a long time ago. Everytime it rains the situation with the drainage water gets worse, it gets into our homes”

The local corporator, Rajendra Bhintare, also raised concern regarding the issue and said, “We need to work on it because the rain could cause more damage and flooding in the next few days. We have complained to the PMC multiple times but nothing has been done. If things persist, the way they are, I’ll be out here protesting with the citizens from our area.”

(Kivi Lydia Vito and Ashutosh Sahoo are interns with The Indian Express)