Hey there, Pune folks! It looks like the Bombay High Court is not messing around when it comes to the sorry state of roads in our city. In a recent PIL filed by activists Qaneez-E-Fatemah Sukhrani and Pushkar Kulkarni, the court has come down hard on the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and the Maharashtra State Government for their negligence in maintaining safe roads for us citizens.
The court didn’t mince words, calling out PMC for failing to uphold our fundamental right to safe roads under Article 21 of the Constitution. It seems like despite repeated court orders and expert recommendations, PMC just hasn’t been getting the job done when it comes to road maintenance.
The petitioners highlighted how dangerous roads, especially during monsoons, are not only causing accidents but also adding to traffic congestion and pollution in our city. They were forced to take the matter to court because PMC wasn’t listening to expert advice or previous court orders.
To address the situation, the court has directed PMC to keep the Road Development and Road Maintenance Committee (RDRMC) up and running, with petitioner Sukhrani playing a key role in offering suggestions. Third-party agencies like COEP and EIL will also be involved for quality audits and assurance.
But it seems like PMC has been dragging its feet when it comes to holding engineers accountable for road defects. Despite publishing a list of responsible engineers, there’s still no proper accountability framework in place. The petitioners are pushing for the formation of an independent oversight committee to make sure expert recommendations are actually implemented.
This fight for better roads in Pune is far from over, with the High Court giving the petitioners the green light to come back if things don’t improve. Here’s hoping that our city’s roads get the attention they deserve sooner rather than later. Stay safe out there, Pune peeps!
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