In a serious lapse of urban safety norms, the Pune Police have registered a case against a borewell contractor and a homeowner after an unauthorised drilling operation allegedly punctured an underground metro tunnel along the Shivajinagar–Swargate route.
The incident occurred on March 14 at a residential property in Shukrawar Peth, where a six-inch breach was reportedly created during borewell drilling. Officials from Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited confirmed that the damage was caused to a tunnel forming part of the Pune Metro network.
The issue came to light when tunnel operator Bhushan Pradeep Baringe reported unusual water seepage between Swargate and Mandai stations to the control room. Upon inspection, the leakage was traced to a specific section of the tunnel—line number 15/56 and ring number 471.
Metro authorities initially carried out an internal inspection but were unable to identify the exact source of the breach. A subsequent surface investigation revealed that drilling had taken place at a recently demolished wada structure near house number 415 on Shivaji Road, opposite the Khadak Police Station.
According to Santanu Gauratra, Joint General Manager (Civil) of the Pune Metro project, the Shivajinagar–Swargate stretch comprises twin tunnels, each 6.4 metres in diameter and located 60 to 100 feet below ground. These tunnels are reinforced with cement concrete rings to ensure structural stability.
Despite repeated advisories prohibiting excavation and borewell activity in metro-sensitive zones, the homeowner allegedly proceeded without obtaining necessary clearances or verifying underground infrastructure.
Officials estimate the damage caused to the tunnel at approximately ₹2.5 lakh. The seepage was successfully contained by March 17, preventing further structural risk.
This marks the second such incident in Maharashtra within a month, raising concerns over enforcement of safety regulations around critical infrastructure. In a similar case in Mumbai, an unauthorised borewell drilled by a private supplier caused minor damage to the underground corridor of the Mumbai Metro Line 3 near Metro Cinema. The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation subsequently filed a police complaint.
The Pune incident highlights the urgent need for stricter monitoring and enforcement of construction guidelines in urban areas with underground transit systems. Authorities are now expected to tighten regulations and increase awareness to prevent such potentially dangerous breaches in the future.
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