Pune: After the fiasco of water leakage at the new Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) building during its inauguration programme, city Mayor Mukta Tilak has directed the civic administration to issue show cause notices to the contractors.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) conducted an agitation on the issue on Friday and demanded a report of sub-standard work done be tabled during the monthly General Body meeting.
While addressing the press conference, Tilak said, “There was no fault in the construction of the building. Due to choking up of storm water in the drainage system, the water gushed inside the building. However, we have issued an order to the administration to send a show cause notice and have sought an explanation from them.”
On Thursday evening, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated the new extension building of the corporation. During his speech, the roof started leaking. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the issue saying that the inauguration of the building was done in a hurry without completing the work. Opposition parties made an allegation against BJP for taking political mileage by inaugurating an incomplete building.
On Friday, MNS conducted an agitation in the new building by wearing black dresses and holding umbrellas to condemn the substandard work of the building. Vasant More, party leader of MNS in the corporation, said, “We have given an application to Additional Municipal Commissioner Sheetal Ugale to make a proper investigation of the new building work and table a report in the General Body meeting so that everyone knows about the flaws in the work. We got an assurance that a detailed inquiry will be conducted.”
The decision of construction of the building was taken after lack of space in the existing corporation building was pointed out. The then ruling coalition, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress, took the decision to construct a new extension building in 2015 and NCP chief Sharad Pawar was present for the bricklaying ceremony of the building.
The total cost of the project was around Rs 50 crore and the PMC had set a deadline of three years. The work was completed within the deadline but now, it is coming under scrutiny due to the roof leakage incident.
