Pune: Ahead of the international cycling event scheduled from Jan 19 to 23 in the city, the civic body has completed extensive infrastructure and road works, including significant upgrades within the PCB limits. Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) resurfaced nearly 75 km of roads across the city and its adjoining areas. Approximately 8.5 km of this work was carried out within the Pune Cantonment Board (PCB)’s jurisdiction to ensure uniform safety standards and road quality for the international cycling route.Beyond simple resurfacing, the civic body undertook a comprehensive beautification and safety drive. This included repairing footpaths, dividers, and railings, as well as installing metal beam crash barriers at sensitive locations. Kerb stones, medians, and railings were repainted, and lane markings were refreshed using thermoplastic paint for better visibility. To ensure a seamless experience for international athletes, speed breakers along the route were either removed or levelled.“We also addressed long-standing civic and safety concerns in the Cantonment zone,” Aniruddha Pawaskar, PMC chief engineer (Road), told TOI. “Road shoulders were repaired, compound walls were painted, and all drainage and stormwater chambers along the route were serviced. We also laid new stormwater and drinking water pipelines where necessary and installed signages to improve navigation and road discipline.” Civic officials noted that the project was executed on a war footing and completed in just two-and-a-half months. Engineers from the PMC road department reportedly worked day and night to meet the deadline while balancing their routine civic duties. The rapid improvements have drawn positive response from Cantonment residents and commuters. According to officials, several locals expressed their gratitude to them for resolving the issues that had been pending for years —particularly regarding dilapidated road surfaces and faulty drainage. However, the project has also sparked a row over administrative credit. “Many residents and travellers stopped to thank PMC workers for resolving their long-pending complaints. Yet, some Cantonment officials and officers from the local military authority have tried to take credit for our work,” Pawaskar said. “This act is mischievous and disturbing. How can they take credit for work they did not do?”Civic authorities said the upgrades will serve as a long-term asset for the city, benefiting residents well beyond the conclusion of the cycling event. Local activist and resident Rajabhau Chavan of Pune Camp welcomed the changes, noting that the PMC stepped in where others had failed. “This helped in resolving long-pending repair issues. We had urged the Cantonment authorities to repair these roads in the past, but it was in vain. Because of the PMC’s work, traffic congestion has finally reduced on roads within the Cantonment limits,” he said.
