PUNE: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has attributed the persistent waterlogging in the gated Nisarg Society, located in Bavdhan, to the lack of a stormwater drainage system and rainwater harvesting infrastructure. Following this, PMC has issued a notice to the society for the installation of these essential facilities.
The society is now required to hire a consultant to implement stormwater drains and rainwater harvesting solutions. The notice also states that the society and the property owners will bear the responsibility for any issues arising from inadequate rainwater management.
Residents and the managing trust of the township have contested this directive, arguing that the original developer should be held accountable. They have pointed out flaws in how completion certificates were issued by the civic body and the zilla parishad without confirming the presence of these drainage systems.
Sudhanshu Sane, the administrator of the gated society, explained that the plots were privately owned and developed by a third party since 2004. He stated, “This is a gated community without a cooperative society. A trust was established for maintenance and security, meaning the development’s ownership remains with the developer. If stormwater drains are lacking, it is the developer’s duty to install them.” Sane added that the development process involved coordination with the zilla parishad, which then transitioned management to the PMRDA and subsequently to the PMC. “We will respond to their notice,” he confirmed.
PMC officials inspected the society after residents raised concerns about water accumulation outside the main entrance. A viral video from July 6 depicted rainwater flowing from within the society onto the service road.
Suhas Jadhav, the assistant municipal commissioner for the Kothrud-Bavdhan ward, stated that the builder bears no accountability for the drainage issues. “These are bungalow societies within a plotted layout with individual ownership, meaning the residents are obligated to establish rainwater harvesting and stormwater drains. I have visited the society twice and communicated with their representatives at mohalla committee meetings. We constructed stormwater drains at the community’s entrance, but they have paved the internal roads without proper drainage. As a result, accumulated water has no outlet. We have instructed them to address this issue to prevent future flooding,” he explained.
