Ten-year-old killed in road accident: PMC admin told to pay Rs 6L compensation to deceased’s kin

After the incident, the issue of potholes in the city has come to the fore again.

3 min readPuneAug 23, 2026 09:00 PM IST

The civic body should implement a Bombay High Court order and place the matter before the concerned committee on its own and start the compensation process, Bhimale said. (File Photo)

Pune Municipal Corporation standing committee chairman Srinath Bhimale has instructed Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram to immediately pay a compensation of Rs 6 lakh to the family of a ten-year-old child who died in an accident due to a pothole on the Sus-Mhalunge road.

The civic body should implement a Bombay High Court order and place the matter before the concerned committee on its own and start the compensation process, Bhimale said on Sunday.

Ten-year-old Viraj Patole was a pillion rider on his father Sandeep’s bike with his sister. A truck brushed past their two wheeler, causing Patole to lose his balance. All three fell off the two wheeler. The boy was run over by a truck on Sus-Mhalunge Road. The family lives in Maan area.

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After the incident, the issue of potholes in the city has come to the fore again. Bhimale instructed the family of the deceased child to be paid a compensation of Rs 6 lakh, as per a court order.

Bhimale said that there was also a provision to pay compensation to those injured in the accident according to the nature of the injury.

As per the Bombay High Court order, the concerned local self-government body has to pay compensation first. After that, action can be taken to recover this amount from the officer, engineer or contractor found guilty in the investigation.

If prmia facie, it is clear that the death of the child in the Sus-Mhalunge accident was due to a pothole, the municipal corporation should file the case before the committee on its own without waiting for the complaint and immediately start the process of paying compensation of Rs 6 lakh, Bhimale said.

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An inquiry should be conducted to ascertain which department was responsible for the maintenance and repair of the concerned road. The responsibility of the officer, engineer or contractor responsible for not repairing the pothole should be determined and action should be taken against them as per rules. Bhimale also suggested that a simple and separate procedure be prepared for compensation for accidents caused by potholes.

“It is the responsibility of the municipal corporation to provide safe roads. The victim’s family should not be made to wait for help when there is a clear order from the court.” said Bhimale.

Manoj Dattatrye More

Manoj Dattatrye More is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, having been with the publication since 1992. Based in Pune, he is a veteran journalist with a 33-year career that spans editorial desk work, investigative reporting, and political analysis. Professional Legacy Experience: He spent his first 16 years on the editorial desk before moving into active field reporting. He has written over 20,000 stories, including more than 10,000 bylined articles. Impact Journalism: He is widely respected for "campaign-style" reporting that leads to tangible social change. Road Safety: His decade-long campaign regarding the dangerous state of the Pune-Mumbai highway in Khadki resulted in a ₹23 crore reconstruction project in 2006, which dramatically reduced fatalities. Environmental Protection: His reports against tree cutting on the Pune-Mumbai and Pune-Nashik highways saved approximately 2,000 trees. Anti-Corruption: During the COVID-19 pandemic, he exposed a scam where doctors were being asked to pay bribes for government jobs, resulting in them being hired without payment. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Manoj More's recent work focuses heavily on the shifting political landscape of Maharashtra and civic governance in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area: 1. Political Shifts & Alliances "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): A major report on the local self-government election results, detailing the NCP’s stronghold in Baramati, Indapur, and Lonavala. "BJP ropes in 13 ex-corporators, deals major blow to NCP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant political defection in Pimpri-Chinchwad as the BJP gears up for civic polls. "Congress opts for solo BMC run as alliance talks with Sena (UBT) collapse" (Dec 17, 2025): Covering the breakdown of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) talks for the Mumbai civic elections. "NCP(SP)'s Rahul Kalate, Sena (UBT) leader Sanjog Waghere set to join BJP" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing high-profile party-hopping ahead of the municipal elections. 2. Civic & Administrative Accountability "PCMC draws ire for issuing tenders worth Rs 250 crore just before poll code" (Dec 17, 2025): An investigative piece on the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s last-minute spending spree before election restrictions. "93 killed in 76 accidents in five years: Bypass service roads in Pune remain undeveloped for 18 yrs" (Nov 16, 2025): A critical look at the long-delayed infrastructure projects contributing to fatalities on Pune’s bypass roads. 3. Social & Labor Issues "As state says TCS has laid off 376 employees: FITE flags figures, say nearly 2,500 were forced to quit" (Dec 11, 2025): Investigating conflicting reports regarding IT sector layoffs in Maharashtra. "Maharashtra govt move to 'downgrade' Aadhaar cards" (Nov 30, 2025): Reporting on the state’s decision to require additional documents alongside Aadhaar to combat identity misuse. Signature Beat Manoj More is the definitive voice on Pimpri-Chinchwad, an industrial hub he has covered for three decades. His reporting is characterized by its aggressive stance against local "gondaism" (thuggery) and a relentless focus on civic infrastructure—choked drains, garbage management, and public transport. X (Twitter): @manojmore91982 ... Read More

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