Spillage from water tankers makes Pune's Kondhwa roads risky

PUNE: Residents of Salunke Vihar Road and particularly NIBM Road areas are having to face several hassles due to the constant movement of water tankers in their area for almost a month now, rendering roads wet and slippery and creating new hazards and annoyances.

For instance, local resident Kalyan Joshi told TOI, "Last week, I was riding along NIBM post office road on a two-wheeler. A water tanker in front had its lid was open; the vehicle looked old and ill-maintained. Water kept flowing out from underneath it as well. When it hit a speed breaker, a huge amount of water suddenly splashed onto me from above. I somehow maintained my balance. I couldn't confront the driver as the tanker was speeding. I was dressed to go for a function. It ruined my evening."
Atisha Khatoon and her six-year-old daughter, who stay in on NIBM Annexe Road, faced a similar incident on March 2. She said, "We were on a two-wheeler heading back from my child's music classes. Suddenly splashed by water, we lost balance. Fortunately, some other commuters held my daughter or she could have been badly injured. How can the authorities be so irresponsible?"
Residents of Narayan Anjali Shinde Road, connecting Salunke Vihar Road and NIBM Road, echoed concerns. "This year, water tankers seem to be getting deployed earlier. Most are terribly maintained and keep spilling more water than carrying it, making roads slippery. Things get worse each time the tankers hit a rough patch or speed breaker. Construction to level the slope is going on, so cement, gravel and mud mixes with water, making the stretch dangerous," said Praveen Ranade, a local resident.
Harish Borade, who was in the water tanker business until recently, said each day, some 1,000 litres of water is wasted as spillage. "This year, during this period, 70-80 tankers are moving towards NIBM Road daily. Last year, the average was 60. While the heat has come early, the number of people in the area has increased, too. Many people, who had gone home due to Covid, have come back. There is around 9,000-10,000 litres of water in each tanker," Borade told TOI.
Another tanker owner, who requested anonymity, said, "The lids get rusted and break. We make 8-10 or more daily trips and drivers have been told to take precautions. In some tankers, the additional cylindrical shape lid has been welded to enhance the height and prevent water outflow. The demand goes up during summers and hence, drivers and attendants often forget things in a hurry."
Narayan Lonkar, a social activist from here, said that he has talked to tanker owners several times. "They just don't listen and neither do the cops. Work on levelling the slope will be over only by May. The movement of heavy vehicles is not allowed on NIBM Road and they can move here only between midnight and 6am. However, tankers keep using the patch, creating problems - and cops don't care. We have told them many times, but no action is initiated," Lonkar said.
Any commercial vehicle, including tankers, must go for a fitness test to the RTO office each year. Pune deputy RTO Sanjiv Bhor said that a flying squad of the RTO will be sent to the area to check. "We are not sure whether tankers come for the fitness tests regularly or not. The team will hold stringent checks of documents and action will be initiated against those not having fitness papers or other documents," he said.
Inspector Rajendra Shelke from Kondhwa traffic police said, "Speeding of water tankers and spilling from overflowing tanks is a common problem in Kondhwa. Most tanker operators are local residents and we have instructed them to stop leakages to prevent accidents. Though there are no complaints from the public, we have repeatedly issued warnings to drive cautiously. We are imposing a fine of Rs500 now on tanker operators if directions issued by the police are not implemented in letter and spirit."