As potholes have surfaced on internal roads on the Pune-Mumbai highway stretch, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation on Thursday issued showcause notices to 24 junior engineers, questioning why action should not be taken against them for negligence. "When the potholes started surfacing and complaints started pouring, the junior engineers should acted quickly and filled up the potholes. However, they have not done so and remained negligent. And therefore we have issued show cause to notice 24 of them," PCMC City Engineer Makrand Nikam told The Indian Express. The civic administration has given the junior engineers time to submit their reply within three days. "After we receive their reply, we will decide on action to be taken. The action may involve imposing fines on them," said Nikam. The administration claimed there were around 300 potholes in the city. "We developed an app for the purpose. The app helps citizens register their complaints get them redressed. Despite the app being in force, our junior engineers remain negligent," Nikam said. Though the PCMC administration claims that there are 300 potholes in the city, citizens, activists and political workers differ. They argue that there are potholes of various sizes across the length and breadth of the city. Whe it rains, water logging becomes a regular problem at junctions and subways. "In Akurdi and surrounding areas like Duttnagar, Krantinagar and Shrikrishna Nagar, internal roads have too many potholes. And in these areas, if it rains heavily, water-logging is common. The rain and drainage water gets into the homes of citizens," said Iklas Sayeed, a political worker from Akurdi area. Dr Anil Roy, former Medical Officer of Health, PCMC said "Right from Nigdi junction to Bajaj Auto, I counted around 70 potholes with motorists struggling to find a way through them. The life of two-wheeler riders especially is under threat on this stretch.” In Dapodi, Phugewadi, Kasarwadi, Bhosari, Sangvi area, internal roads have developed potholes. At Nashik Phata Chowk under the J R Tata flyover, water-logging is common whether it rains heavily or not, said Rishikesh Marale, a local resident. "For years, water-logging has become a nightmare for vehicles heading to Bhosari, Chakan and Nashik from Nashik Phata Chowk. A mini swimming pool develops during every monsoon here. What is shocking is that PCMC administration is refusing to provide an outlet to the water-logged area. As a result, a mini pool maintains its status quo here," he said. Nikam said the administration has undertaken the filling work of the potholes and soon they would be taken care of. "As for potholes on the highway in Nigdi, we have conveyed to the MahaMetro about it. Before the work was undertaken, we had told MahaMetro they should take care of the potholes on Nigdi-Chinchwad stretch," he said.
