A recent incident in Pune’s Shukrawar Peth area has raised significant concerns about the safety of urban infrastructure. Unauthorized borewell drilling at a private residence on March 14, 2026, resulted in a 6-inch hole in the newly constructed underground tunnel of the Pune Metro’s Shivajinagar-Swargate line, causing water leakage and endangering a multi-crore project.
Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited (Mahametro) officials, including Joint General Manager (Civil) Shantanu Gauratra, lodged a complaint at Khadak Police Station. The incident has prompted authorities to implement stricter regulations for construction and drilling activities near metro routes.
What Happened and Who is Involved?
The incident occurred when a resident, Dhananjay Mote, allegedly ordered borewell drilling without proper permissions. Despite prior warnings from Mahametro regarding the dangers of excavation near the tunnel, drilling proceeded, leading to the damage. The borewell contractor, identified as Jagtap, is also named in the police complaint. Bhushan Pradeep Baringe, a tunnel operator, was the first to report the leakage, which posed a significant threat to the tunnel’s integrity.
Mahametro officials stated that the tunnels are robust, made of cement-concrete rings, and located 60 to 100 feet underground. The estimated initial repair cost for the damage is around INR 2.5 lakh. The leakage was successfully stopped by March 17, but concerns remain about potential delays in metro operations.
New Safety Measures and Regulations
In response to this incident, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is formulating new detailed guidelines for construction activities above and around metro tunnels. These regulations will mandate separate permissions from the groundwater department for borewell digging. Mahametro also plans to install ‘route markers’ on the ground above underground metro lines to inform citizens about the tunnel’s location. A ‘No Objection Certificate’ (NOC) from the metro authority will become mandatory for any borewell drilling in these areas.
Senior Inspector Shashikant Chavan of Khadak Police Station confirmed that a case of negligence has been registered against the homeowner and the contractor. Both the borewell opening at ground level and the hole within the tunnel have been sealed to prevent further risk. PMC Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram emphasized that strict monitoring and security measures will be implemented to prevent such incidents in the future.