The Public Works Department (PWD) has spent nearly Rs 18.37 crore on the stormwater disposal system constructed at Padole Square, according to information obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act by city-based activist Abhay Kolarkar. The RTI reply sheds light on the expenditure incurred on the project, which was undertaken to tackle chronic waterlogging at one of the city's most flood-prone junctions. According to the information furnished by the Executive Engineer, World Bank Project Division, Nagpur, the total expenditure incurred on the stormwater disposal system stands at Rs 18,36,58,693.

 

The project was originally sanctioned at Rs 27,87,64,000, indicating that work worth nearly two-thirds of the sanctioned cost has already been completed. The department informed that works worth Rs 18.36 crore have been executed so far, while works valued at approximately Rs 9.51 crore remain pending. The stipulated completion date for the project is December 31, 2026. The RTI reply further reveals that a modern pumping system has been installed at a cost of Rs 7,54,58,674.

 

The pumping system has been operational since May 6, 2025, and forms a crucial component of the drainage network designed to remove accumulated rainwater from the low-lying junction. As part of the project, the department has laid 1,543.67 metres of 600-mm diameter pipeline, against the planned length of around 1.54 km. The PWD clarified that no excavation was carried out on cement concrete roads during execution of the project. Consequently, the department stated that the question of damage to cement roads did not arise. The RTI response also dispels speculation regarding external funding. The department stated that no funds were received from the World Bank for the project, despite the work being executed through the World Bank Project Division of PWD. Kolarkar had also sought information regarding the performance of the system during rainfall events. However, one of the queries referred to rainfall on September 28, 2027, a future date at the time of filing, and the department replied that such information was not available.