Gridlocked traffic, waterlogged roads as over 100mm rain batters Pune

Pune: Steady and heavy rain that drenched the city on Monday did not stop people from leaving the safety of home to go about their jobs. Office-goers, healthcare workers, shopkeepers, restaurant staff and others battled flooded roads, gridlocked traffic, cancelled buses, soaring cab fares and hours of delays to get to their workplaces.The ordeal also highlighted how the absence of work-from-home for non-essential staff led to lost time, higher travel costs, and an avoidable struggle during one of the season’s heaviest downpours. For essential workers, however, reporting to duty was non-negotiable.Jayashree Matthew, a nurse at a hospital in Hadapsar who lives in Kondhwa, said, “Cab fares were much higher than usual. I contacted two other nurses who were also reporting for duty, picked them up on the way and we split the fare.

As healthcare workers, staying home simply wasn’t an option.”Battered by the rain and overwhelmed by the trials on the potholed roads without many options to know which roads to avoid, many commuters took to social media, complaining about the lack of official, real-time updates on flooded roads and diversions, saying they were forced to rely on unverified social media forwards to plan their commute.IT professionals’ associations criticised companies across Baner, Magarpatta, Kharadi and Hinjewadi for insisting employees report to office despite severe waterlogging.

Atul Missra, who works in Vimannagar, said his company refused to permit work from home. “We informed our manager about the rain, but he said approval from the senior management had not come. I left Salisbury Park around 9.30am but couldn’t even get close to my office by 11am because of waterlogging and traffic. I reached close to noon. Several colleagues had also failed to make it,” he said.Cab fares surged steeply as demand shot up. Madhumita Das, a BPO employee in Hinjewadi, said, “Our office provides one way transport depending on the shift.

I couldn’t get a cab without paying exorbitant surge pricing. I spent Rs 800 from Aundh to Hinjewadi.”App-based fares reflected the spike. An autorickshaw ride from Kondhwa to Pune airport cost Rs 380 against the usual Rs 240, while cabs were priced at Rs 470 and above. A trip from Kondhwa to FC Road showed ₹310 for an autorickshaw and Rs 385 onwards for a cab.“I booked a cab from Salunke Vihar Road to JM Road for Rs456, but the driver demanded Rs680 and a tip, saying there were fewer passengers,” Samrat Garge, another private-sector employee, said.Many commuters hopped on to the Pune Metro which remained operational despite packed stations and crowded coaches. “I usually ride my bike, but today the metro was the practical option to save time,” Chetan Gaikwad, who works at a restaurant in Kalyaninagar, said.Kharadi resident Srikrishna Shinde, who works on Ghole Road, said he combined a PMPML bus and the Metro ride in place of his two-wheeler. “It took me nearly two hours to reach work.

Now I’m worried about getting home. I can’t afford to spend Rs 500-600 on cabs or autorickshaws every time it rains like this,” he said.PMPML Buses StrandedOver the last three days, PMPML recorded a total of 438 bus breakdowns. Mahesh Awhad, the CMD of the transport body said, “We have sent 20 buses to help passengers stranded at Lonavla railway station and extra buses to Hadapsar when trains halted to bring passengers to the city.

Regular routes are operational, but heavy traffic congestion at several locations has slowed movement.” Breakdowns were expected to be higher on Monday.Water On Roads, Bridges And UnderpassesHeavy rainfall left roads, bridges and underpasses across Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad inundated, causing major traffic disruptions and forcing authorities to divert vehicles.According to Pune Traffic Police, waterlogging slowed traffic at Lonkar Chowk in Mundhwa, Bhairobanala near AFMC, and the service road in Bavdhan where traffic came to a complete halt.

In Pimpri Chinchwad, several bridges and underpasses, including Moraya Gosavi Bridge, Aditya Birla Hospital, Chinchwad, Indrayani bridges, Alandi and Dabhadhe Sarkar Bridge were submerged. Under passes in Tathawade underpass, Vallabhnagar and Sai Chowk underpass were under water.

MM Chowk towards Chinchwad, Rahatani Bridge, River View bridge and several roads in Chikhali and Hinjewadi were also out of bounds.

Traffic was diverted at Central Chowk in Dehu Road.Societies relied on pumps to flush out water that had entered building premises in low lying areas in Aundh.Waterlogging has slowed traffic in Bhosari, Bavdhan, Punawale, Keshavnagar. Flooding was reported in Lakshmi Chowk, Kudalwadi, Patilnagar, Jadhav Sarkar Chowk and service roads near Shinde Petrol Pump, and parts of Talegaon.