Pune: Battered roads in Pune Cantonment limits may finally be headed for a long-awaited makeover.After months of complaints, bone-rattling rides and growing frustration among residents, Pune Cantonment Board (PCB) has floated a tender for road repairs, while Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has agreed to resurface key stretches ahead of the Pune Cycle Grand Tour scheduled for Jan next year.Several arterial roads across the cantonment, including Coyaji Road, Col Tarapore Road, Moledina Road and Hindustan Church Road, have deteriorated significantly in recent months, developing potholes and uneven patches that have made daily commuting a challenge. PCB had been unable to undertake major repair works due to financial constraints.PCB’s officiating engineering section in-charge Vijay Chavan said repair works would commence once the tendering process was completed. “PMC is expected to begin the work over the next few days. Once our tender is processed, we will initiate repair works too. Certain roads have developed potholes over the last few months and we have also received complaints from residents in this regard,” Chavan told TOI.The cantonment board maintains a road network of around 48km across its civil and military areas. Several stretches have, however, fallen into poor condition, with potholes surfacing at multiple locations and disrupting traffic movement.Residents said the deteriorating roads had become a daily ordeal, particularly on busy stretches frequented by officegoers, schoolchildren, shoppers, pedestrians and military personnel. “Every day we have to negotiate potholes on these roads. Two-wheeler riders are particularly vulnerable, as suddenly swerving to avoid a pothole can lead to accidents. The authorities should not wait for a major accident before carrying out repairs,” cantonment resident Akash Chavan said.The state of the roads has also drawn criticism from senior Army officers residing in the area. “Maximum roads are in poor conditions. The repairs have to be long-lasting. One cannot go out on a bike or cycle comfortably. These roads can cause major lower back problems. The cantonment should complete the repair work at the earliest,” a senior Army officer told TOI.The residents said repeated representations were made to civic authorities, but repair works were delayed because of the board’s financial limitations.Motorists said conditions worsened considerably during and after rainfall, when water-filled potholes became difficult to detect. Poor street lighting on some internal roads further compounds the risk for riders and pedestrians after dark. “Driving on pothole-riddled stretches without streetlights is a nightmare. One doesn’t feel safe on certain internal roads within the cantonment limits. This has to be addressed on priority,” regular commuter Santosh Kale said.The residents have also urged PCB and PMC to coordinate works on roads and junctions that fall under different jurisdictions to ensure seamless repairs and avoid repeated digging.
