Pune: A Pune Municipal Corporation letter to the National Highways Authority of India has flagged that excavation work on a service road in Bavdhan damaged a sewer line, causing sewage leakage and raising concerns about possible contamination of Pashan lake, where water quality has recently deteriorated.In the March 17 letter, issued by the Kothrud-Bavdhan ward office, the civic body said excavation activities damaged the sewerage system, resulting in sewage-mixed water accumulating on the service road. The letter highlighted foul smell, water stagnation and the risk of mosquito breeding, warning of diseases like dengue and malaria. It called for immediate repairs and cautioned that responsibility would rest with the executing agency if corrective action was not taken. PMC also recommended issuing a stop-work notice and withholding contractor payments till the issue was resolved.A civic official confirmed that the damage occurred during infrastructure work. “The drainage line was located close to a nullah. After it broke, sewage began mixing into the nullah, which flows into the Ramnadi and onwards towards Pashan lake. The damage happened while NHAI was carrying out stormwater duct work. Although a letter was issued, there was no initial response. We have now begun repairs,” the official said.Another official said PMC stepped in after no action was taken by the agency concerned. “We instructed our contractor to immediately fix the problem. The damaged drainage line led to sewage spreading in the area, causing foul smell and unhygienic conditions, including mosquito breeding. The work has been taken up and is expected to be resolved within a few days,” the official said.Environmental activists alleged that the sewage leak contributed to pollution in Pashan lake, where multiple dead fish were recently found floating. Advocate Krunnal Gharre, who shared PMC letter with TOI, said a map-based analysis showed the damaged point along a drainage route feeding into the lake system. “The official map clearly marks the confluence where this flow meets the Ramnadi near the Pashan lake inlet. The interception line built to capture sewage from the Bavdhan side appears to have been compromised, allowing untreated sewage to enter natural stormwater channels and reach the lake,” he said.Gharre alleged that sustained leakage close to the lake could have worsened water quality. “Unchecked flow increases organic load and reduces oxygen levels in the water, which can severely affect aquatic life,” he added.When contacted, NHAI officials declined to comment on the matter.
