A City Caught Off Guard
Pune, our vibrant hub of culture and innovation, faced a watery ordeal in May 2025. From May 20-22, unseasonal downpours battered the city, with areas like Hinjawadi recording 74 mm of rain in a single day. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for heavy rainfall, but Pune’s infrastructure crumbled, leaving residents to navigate waterlogged streets, crippling traffic jams, prolonged power outages, and flooded homes. At icare4pune.com, we’re committed to amplifying community voices and pushing for solutions. Let’s explore the chaos caused by the 2025 rains and how we can build a more resilient Pune.
The Ripple Effects of Heavy Rainfall
Waterlogging: Pune’s Perennial Problem
Waterlogging is a recurring nightmare for Pune, and the May 2025 rains were no exception. Low-lying areas like Hadapsar, Vadgaon Sheri, Kothrud, Baner, Pashan, Mundhwa, Dhanori, and Lullanagar turned into virtual lakes. B.G. Shirke Road in Hadapsar was submerged in knee-deep water, with two-wheeler riders struggling to avoid hidden potholes. The Nagar-Pune Highway to Panchsheel Chowk became impassable within an hour of rain, disrupting commutes and daily life.
The city’s 2,400 km road network is woefully underserved by just 350 km of stormwater drains, a gap that guarantees flooding. Paved residential areas, which prevent water seepage, exacerbate the problem, turning streets into rivers. As one Hadapsar resident vented on X, “Every monsoon, it’s the same—roads become rivers, and no one acts.”
Traffic Jams: Gridlock Galore
The rains triggered chaos on Pune’s roads. Major routes like Sinhgad Road, Pune-Solapur Highway, and the stretch from Embassy Quadra to TCS Phase 3 in Hinjawadi saw vehicles stuck for over two hours. Cars stalled in knee-deep water near TCG and SunBeam in Hinjawadi, while metro construction sites trapped water under bridges, creating bottlenecks. Local businesses, like shops in Solapur Bazaar, suffered as floodwaters kept customers away.
Ongoing metro and flyover projects, combined with pothole-ridden roads, turned commuting into a daily struggle. As Kajal Bhukan, stuck on the Nagar-Pune Highway, shared on X, “It’s not just rain—it’s construction, potholes, and no drainage making life impossible.”
Power Cuts: Left in the Dark
Power outages compounded the misery. Areas like Kondhwa, Lullanagar, Katraj, Bibwewadi, Pashan, and Sus faced hours-long blackouts due to waterlogged electrical systems. The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) struggled to restore power, leaving residents frustrated. Non-functional traffic signals in Kondhwa and Lullanagar worsened road chaos, with drivers navigating intersections blindly.
Flooded Homes: A Residential Crisis
Residential societies in Moshi, Chikhali, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Vadgaon Sheri, and Ekta Nagar were hit hard, with water flooding homes and parking lots. Around 200 homes were affected, prompting National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams to evacuate residents in Sinhgad Road and Varje. Social media posts highlighted water seeping into the Pune New Airport Terminal, underscoring the crisis’s scale. As Chetan Mitkari from Hadapsar told icare4pune.com, “Our society floods every year. When will the PMC take action?”
Image Placeholder: Flooded Residential Society in Moshi
Caption: Water enters homes in a Moshi residential society during the May 21, 2025, rains.
Source: Encourage community submissions on icare4pune.com or search X for #PuneFloods.