400 families relocated as rain lashes Pune

Severe water-logging in Vitthalnagar area of Wadgaon Budruk and Warje Malwadi areas resulted in 400 families from 17 housing societies relocating themselves to safer places on Saturday evening. However, no casualties were reported in Pune city.

When the river water entered the societies in Vitthalnagar, families from Samarth Society, Smruti Society, Pandurang Society, Anant Apartments, Puja Park, Raj Park, Anand Park, Sky Residency, Dwarka Society, Ekta Nagari and other societies locked their houses and went to relatives and friends’ houses.

Some of the families were shifted to the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) Mahatma Phule hall in the area.
The fire brigade officials pressed into service two boats in Vitthalnagar on Saturday to shift people to safer places.

The local residents of the area and fire brigade men rescued the people from the societies. Some of the people were reluctant to the leave their homes, but later to shifted to safer places.

The residents of these societies had borne the brunt last year during the monsoon after the torrential downpour led to water logging, leading to loss of a few lives and property.

“Despite what happened last year, things did not improve as the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) didn’t do anything to prevent the water logging and such problems in the area,” the residents said.

The local corporator, Balasaheb Kapre, told DNA that only 25% of the retaining wall along the river Mutha has been constructed. If the wall been fully constructed, it would have prevented water from entering the societies.

“I have written to the PMC complaining against the contractor, MB Patil, as he didn’t complete his work on time,” he said, adding, “We are shifting people to safer places since the morning and also have warned people to move to safer places. “

A resident, Sanjay Morkute said, “We fear that the water level is going to increase in the night. I have shifted my family to my friend’s house, but I am very disappointed over the PMC work, as they are not understating the gravity of the situation.”

In Warje Malwadi, 40 families have been evacuated from the societies after water entered the premises.