Pune's Fatimanagar subway is dark, dirty, unusable

The subway near the chowk at Big Bazaar near Fatimanagar, meant for pedestrians crossing the busy Pune-Solapur Road, lies in shambles.

The deplorable condition of the subway forces pedestrians to use the busy road, thus endangering their lives.

“It is very difficult for the pedestrians to cross the road, thanks to the chaotic traffic in the area. If the subway is maintained properly, then it makes things easy for the people and also reduces the rate of accidents,” said Naresh Bhatti, who owns a shop in the area.

When DNA visited the spot,  it found that dirty canal water, human waste, garbage and insufficient lights have rendered the subway unusable.

Some of the pedestrians said that apart from the civic problems, the unused subway has become a den for anti-social elements that makes it unsafe as well. “A few chain-snatching incidents were reported in the area. How can one expect someone to use the subway?” asked Jayantilal Parihar, a resident.

The local corporator, Prakash Mantri, said they have installed bulbs in the subway. “However, some miscreants steal the bulbs and create nuisance. We are taking measures to check such incidents,” Mantri said.

Mantri said, “The subway remains dirty as people have turned it into a dumping ground and use it to relieve themselves. If they refrain from doing such things, then the situation can be managed to a large extent.”