Mutha canal wall collapsed due to encroachments in vicinity: KVDC

The Krishna Valley Development Corporation (KVDC), through its affidavit on October 12, informed the Bombay High Court that the collapse of the Mutha canal wall on September 27 occurred due to the encroachments in its vicinity. The encroachments proved to be a deterrent to timely inspections, admitted the KVDC. "It is essential to keep the canal closed to carry out the repairs," the water resources department has said. The canal wall crashed near Parvati hill, on September 27, on a rainless and dry day, when within few minutes, the streets of Pune were flooded. The flash flooding necessitated the evacuation of residents of the nearby Janata Colony and help arrived an hour into the emergency. Traffic on Sinhagad Road came to a complete halt. Panic spread across Pune city with the unexpected disaster. Dandekar bridge and roads in the surrounding areas were completely under water. The entire neighbourhood at the foot of Dandekar bridge consists of row houses. Extensive damage was caused to these houses by the floods. The force of the water was so intense that in an instant, people found themselves in kneedeep water. Water from Khadakvasla dam flows into this canal, which supplies water to Pune city. The very wall meant to protect the city from the canal waters gave way and set off panic waves. While no deaths were reported in the incident, 980 people were rendered homeless.