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An unauthorised borewell drilling activity in Pune led to damage inside an underground metro tunnel on the Shivajinagar Swargate corridor. The drilling created a six-inch hole in the tunnel roof, causing water seepage and raising safety concerns. Police have booked both the contractor and the property owner for negligence and for endangering public infrastructure. The incident was traced after metro officials detected leakage during inspection. It has again highlighted the risks of unregulated excavation work in dense urban areas with critical underground infrastructure.
A borewell contractor and a homeowner have been booked after an unauthorised drilling activity damaged an underground tunnel of the Pune Metro. The incident took place in Shukrawar Peth, a densely populated locality, along the Shivajinagar Swargate underground corridor. Advertisement
The issue came to light when metro officials noticed water seepage inside the tunnel between Mandai and Swargate stations during a routine inspection. A detailed technical check identified that a six-inch hole had been created in the tunnel lining, allowing water to enter the structure.
Further investigation revealed that the damage was caused by borewell drilling carried out at a private residential property directly above the tunnel alignment. The drilling reportedly went beyond 60 feet in depth and breached the reinforced concrete structure of the tunnel. This section of the metro is built using precast concrete rings designed to handle underground pressure and ensure safety, making the breach a serious concern.
Officials from Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited (Maha-Metro) had already issued guidelines restricting any excavation or drilling work near metro corridors without prior approval. Despite these rules, the homeowner went ahead with the borewell work without checking for underground infrastructure or taking necessary permissions.
Based on a complaint filed by a senior metro official, police registered a case against both the contractor and the property owner. Authorities stated that their actions were negligent and created a potential risk to commuters and public property. Relevant sections related to endangering life and damaging public infrastructure have been applied.
The drilling point was found to be directly above the tunnel stretch, which increased the risk of structural weakness. Although no train was passing at the time of the incident, officials noted that the situation could have turned serious if operations were ongoing at that exact moment.
This is not the first such case in urban infrastructure projects. A similar incident had been reported in Mumbai, where unauthorised drilling activity had impacted an underground metro tunnel. These repeated incidents have raised concerns about awareness and enforcement of safety norms around underground construction zones.
The Pune Metro network includes several underground stretches passing through old city areas where buildings are closely packed and space is limited. This makes it important for residents and contractors to strictly follow excavation guidelines, as even small errors can affect large infrastructure systems.
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