Pune Civic Body Cracks Down: Officer Transferred, Three Suspended After Grave Public Safety Lapse

In a significant move to enforce accountability and ensure public safety, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has taken stringent disciplinary action following a serious incident where a citizen sustained severe injuries due to municipal negligence. A senior executive engineer has been transferred, and three other employees, including a junior engineer and two daily-wage workers, have been suspended from their duties.

The punitive measures come in the wake of an unfortunate accident on April 26, when 50-year-old Sunanda Mane suffered grievous head injuries after falling into a trench left uncovered due to a missing manhole cover near the Gandhi chowk, off the Pune-Solapur road in Hadapsar.

Mane was rushed to a nearby private hospital for urgent medical attention, bringing the critical issue of public infrastructure maintenance to the forefront.

Acting swiftly on the matter, PMC Commissioner Sahebrao Gaikwad initiated a thorough internal inquiry. The investigation revealed a clear dereliction of duty, prompting the immediate transfer of Executive Engineer Sunil Indalkar from the Road Department to the Land and Estate Department.

Additionally, Junior Engineer Dattatray Patil, along with daily-wage workers Vilas Kadam, Somnath Borate, and Santosh Mane, were all placed under immediate suspension.

This swift and decisive action by the PMC underscores a strong message: negligence in maintaining public infrastructure, especially when it jeopardizes citizen safety, will not be tolerated.

Commissioner Gaikwad emphasized that these actions serve as a stern reminder to all civic body employees about their crucial responsibilities. The incident has reignited calls for regular inspections and prompt repairs of public utilities to prevent future mishaps and ensure the well-being of Pune's residents.