Pune’s Pothole Crisis Deepens Despite PMC’s Claim of 5,103 Repairs

Every monsoon, pothole-ridden roads have become an unfortunate routine for Pune’s citizens. This year is no different, roads across the city are again filled with potholes, causing serious inconvenience. Accumulated rainwater often hides the potholes, leading to accidents and vehicle damage. Amidst these complaints, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has made a bold and surprising claim: that it has filled 5,103 potholes between April 1 and June 30, 2025. This was revealed in the daily report of the PMC’s Road Department.

However, with potholes still clearly visible across major and internal roads, citizens are now questioning which potholes were actually repaired.

Mishaps everywhere

Due to multiple ongoing projects, including metro construction and drainage works, the condition of city roads has severely deteriorated. Delayed repairs and makeshift patchwork by the PMC have worsened the situation, leading to uneven road surfaces. Commuters are forced to navigate through potholes, poorly constructed speed breakers, patchy repairs, and raised manhole covers, all of which contribute to vehicle damage and even back injuries.

Additional Municipal Commissioner Omprakash Diwate shared the pothole repair figures, but Puneites were quick to question the reality of these numbers, especially when prominent roads like Baner and Pashan remain full of potholes. Citizens are asking: Which roads were actually fixed?

The administration also claimed that corrective measures were implemented at 90 waterlogging spots, and 906 manhole chambers were repaired. However, the efficacy of these measures is being questioned.

For the past three consecutive monsoons, PMC has faced public backlash over potholes. Continuous road digging for water supply, sewer lines, ATMS signal systems, and private utility works has only worsened the situation. In many cases, roads are dug up again even after being newly laid. This cycle has left Pune’s road infrastructure in disrepair and the public frustrated.

Public anger grows

Over the past three days, Pune has witnessed heavy rains, leading to widespread water logging. The PMC claims to have taken preventive steps at waterlogging-prone sites, but flooding continues to be reported in multiple areas, casting doubt on those claims. With even heavier rains expected in the coming days, citizens are asking: If this is the state of roads now, what will happen when the real downpours hit?

Locals doubt fund use

The PMC’s main Road Department is responsible for roads wider than 12 metres, while regional offices handle those narrower than 12 metres. The PMC says each of its 15 regional offices has been allocated Rs 10 lakh to repair potholes on internal roads. However, locals question whether this money is truly being used. A road department official admitted that villages recently added to the PMC limits are in need of urgent repairs, and the funds have been directed there. Repairs are being carried out as per citizen complaints, the official claimed.