Pune: The breach in the Mutha Right Bank canal in the wee hours of Monday has led the state irrigation department to decide that an assessment would take place after April of the entire 28-km-long stretch that flows through the city from Khadakwasla to Phursungi.The breach around 3am on Monday had led to flooding in residential and industrial areas of Hadapsar, including Magarpatta township, Amanora main road, Magarpatta-Mundhwa Road stretch and Solapur Road. Water discharge was around 1,100 cusecs, at that time leading to a sudden overflow. It resulted in a massive traffic congestion during the peak commute hours till the situation was brought under control around 2pm.The irrigation department is temporarily plugging the breach through soilembankment. Officials said repairs would take another four days. The release of water from Khadakwasla dam into the canal has been stopped and will resume only after repairs are complete.An official said, “We have decided to inspect the entire canal. However, it is not possible to do so immediately, because our priority is to maintain water supply for summer crops. The last bit of release will wind up by the last week of April, after which comprehensive inspections will be taken up from Khadakwasla to Phursungi. The department will plan its future course of action based on the findings.”People staying along the canal said its condition has been deteriorating.Priya Gadade, local corporator of the Janata Vasahat area where the Mutha canal had developed a major breach in 2018, said most promises made after the earlier incident were never met. “The canal is unsafe. There is no proper vigil or monitoring,” she said.Corporators of the Hadapsar area said all canals flowing through the pocket require major repairs. “The walls of the canals are mostly seeping. Structures aplenty have come up along the canals hampering overall flow and safety. Local residents face various problems because of lack of maintenance,” said Ajit Ghule, another local corporator.Within a few hours of Monday’s incident, mayor Manjusha Nagpure had directed the civic administration to work in tandem with the irrigation department to initiate measures at all vulnerable locations along the canal to prevent seepage and breach in the future.Meanwhile, the irrigation department is checking various possibilities that could have led to the breach. Officials said pipelines have been laid near the breach spot and a structure was built across the canal some years ago. It could have added to the damage. “We are checking if these factors led to weakening of the wall,” they added.
