Pune: Water discharge from Khadakwasla dam has been increased to 7,276 cusecs on Thursday afternoon and may be increased further by late evening or night. Pune traffic police have started barricading Baba Bhide Bridge –a low-water crossing in the city connecting Peth areas to Deccan and Shivajinagar areas – as water flowing through the Mutha river has almost touched the bridge.
Presently, the Khadakwasla dam is completely filled. On Thursday morning the water being discharged was at 5136 cusecs into the Mutha River which flows across Pune city. With continuous rainfall in Pune district the inflow of rainwater has increased in all four dams Khadakwasla, Panshet, Varasgaon and Temghar. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted heavy rainfall in the next five to seven days. Considering this situation the discharge from the dam was increased to 7276 cusecs by Thursday afternoon.
It is usually observed that when water is discharged from Khadakwasla dam at 8000 to 10000 cusecs, the Bhide Bridge gets submerged under water. Traffic police put up barricades at both ends of the bridge and stop vehicular movement in the area. Also, the road along the river bed going to and from Bhide Bridge to Erandwane and Bhide Bridge to Shaniwarwada are also closed for traffic as a precautionary measure.
Mayor Murlidhar Mohol said, “The water flowing through the Mutha River is under control as of now. Thus the traffic on riverbed road and Baba Bhide Bridge has not been stopped yet.”
The Pune Metro work going on in the river bed has also been stopped a while back. PMC and disaster management authorities have appealed to citizens to stay away from the river bed road and Baba Bhide bridge area Thursday evening onward as the water discharge may be increased. Authorities have also asked citizens to remove their vehicles especially cars parked on the river bed road as they may get damaged.
