Pune Beat

Civic contractor damaged cables: MSEBTaking serious view of the haphazard ways of digging up of a road by a civic contractor, Maharashtra...

Civic contractor damaged cables: MSEB
Taking serious view of the haphazard ways of digging up of a road by a civic contractor, Maharashtra State Electricity Board officials have lodged a complaint against a Pune Municipal Corporation contractor for badly damaging its electric cables.

MSEB8217;s Kothrud division executive engineer Vijay Kokane said in a press statement that electric cables were damaged when a contractor dug up a road in Kothrud area to lay pipelines. The damage led to interruption in power supply for over five hours.

Kokane says the contractor continued his work in the same negligent style even after the complaint was lodged. The same contractor caused yet another damage to major cable lines on Thursday while digging up a road using a bulldozer. The damage led to interruption in power supply in Kothrud.

Kokane said the contractor had caused damage worth Rs 20 lakh and the MSB would have to lay new cables. Kokane urged the corporation to recover Rs 20 lakh from the contractor and pay the MSEB.

Kokane said a similar incident in Duttwadi led to power failure in Lokmanyanagar, Rambag colony, Prashantnagar and Shastri Road on Friday.

Water closure
Water supply to the entire city will remain closed on Monday as the irrigation department will undertake construction of a bund in the Mutha right bank canal.

According to a Pune Municipal Corporation press note, the morning and evening water supply to the entire city, all the suburbs and surrounding areas will remain closed. It will resume with a low pressure late on Tuesday morning.

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The bund at Parvati water works will ensure smooth water supply through closed pipe lines, connecting Parvati and the Cantonment water works. The department had constructed a temporary bund a few days back which was washed away within six hours.

Sangam bridge
The old Sangam bridge, connecting Maldhakka chowk and Kamgar Putala chowk, will remain closed for all vehicular traffic till November 16.

Civic officials said this was necessary to allow the Pune Municipal Corporation construct 14 chambers. They said the brick chambers would be replaced with RCC ones to strengthen the bridge. The water supply and sewerage department has recommended that the bridge be closed for heavy vehicles permanently. Development engineer roads has forwarded the proposal to the municipal commissioner.