Kothrud residents battle construction dust, congestion and blocked footpaths

Construction of a mall, a hotel and commercial units is under way on a busy road near the Mrityunjay Temple in Kothrud. For the past few months, residents of the area have faced daily hardship because of the work. Heavy machinery and building material lie on public land, leaving the footpaths unusable.

Large construction vehicles ply the road even during peak hours. School vans, motorists and pedestrians have to push through congestion every day. The road was closed for six months for underpass work, and the new problem began soon after it reopened. A layer of cement dust hangs in the air, and inadequate safety measures put everyone passing by at risk.

During a site visit, as soon as cement and concrete dust began to be noted, a construction worker immediately started sprinkling water on the road to keep the dust down.

Local resident Ashok Medankar said huge cranes carrying large bundles of iron rods pass along the road every day. "It is frightening to see this when small children, senior citizens and two-wheeler riders are around. A road used by residents cannot be treated as a private construction site. Who will take responsibility if there is an accident?" he asked.

Anita Deshmukh, who lives in the same area, said, "The footpath is meant for residents to walk safely. But the workers at the construction site have turned it into a private tea stall and a parking spot for their bikes. Pedestrians have to walk on the road amid heavy vehicles and risk their lives. We have lost our right to walk safely."

Ganesh Shinde said, "When the road reopened after six months, we thought we would get some relief, but the situation has not changed much. We suffer daily from dust, heavy machinery, damaged footpaths and encroachments. Even stepping out for a walk has become difficult. Our demand is that the municipal corporation take notice before someone is hurt."

Nikhil Medane said residents have to breathe cement dust every day and the area is slowly turning into a heap of concrete. Many trees have been cut, and the few that remain appear to be drying up, their roots poisoned by cement piled around the trunks. "The footpaths are occupied by the private bikes of construction workers, while one whole footpath has disappeared because of the ongoing work. Heavy vehicles carrying iron rods and other hazardous material keep passing along this road, and commuters' lives are at risk," Medane said.

Yogesh Bhosale, inspector in the building permission department of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), said, "A letter will be sent to the contractor about the complaints of air pollution caused by concrete dust. Residents and commuters nearby are said to be having difficulty breathing because of this dust. The contractor will be directed to take precautionary measures immediately and resolve the issue." Bhosale also clarified that complaints about the footpath and the road will have to be taken to the respective municipal departments responsible for those works.

Balaji Kavthale, the on-site contractor representing KEC International, a company of the RPG Group, said five contractors are working on different jobs in the area. These include the underpass and the municipal corporation's bridge project over the drain near D Block of the Kirloskar building. After waterlogging in the 2024 monsoon, the road may have to be closed again to widen and raise it.

Kavthale said, "Water is sprinkled every day to keep the dust down, and AQI boards showing pollution levels have been put up. Under the municipal corporation's revised rules, construction stops at 9 pm. Police marshals monitor compliance and municipal officials inspect from time to time." Acknowledging residents' complaints about dust, traffic and inconvenience, he said, "The situation has improved by about 75 per cent in the past six months. The stalls on the footpath will also be shifted inside the project premises."

He added that construction is now permitted from 6 am to 5 pm on Saturdays and Sundays, while on other days of the week in Kothrud there are no restrictions on work and heavy vehicle movement between 11 am and 5 pm. The Kirloskar-owned project will have 20 floors, of which 16 have been completed. Kavthale said the problems of the road and the inconvenience nearby persist, but construction is going on in line with the municipal corporation's rules and safety norms.

During the visit, a woman was seen photographing an open container parked on the road. Long iron rods were jutting out of it dangerously, posing a risk of accidents and obstructing traffic. When asked about the photographs, she said she was a site employee, declined to speak and hurried back to the construction site.

Security guards barred entry to the Kirloskar marketing office, citing a mandatory site induction process. Visitors are also required to undergo a medical check, including blood sugar and blood pressure tests, before entering the site, because of the risk on unfinished upper floors without protective walls, it was said.