Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to Pune on September 26 was cancelled due to the severe rain situation in the city. The PM was expected to inaugurate the Pune Metro’s District Court to Swargate underground stretch and lay the foundation stones for several key infrastructure projects, including the metro route from Swargate to Katraj and an elevated corridor from Pimpri-Chinchwad to Nigdi. The projects were collectively worth over Rs 22,600 crore.
PM Modi was also set to address a public meeting at the Sir Parashurambhau (SP) College Ground, which was anticipated to be a major event for the ruling Mahayuti coalition ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly polls. Additionally, he was scheduled to attend the ‘Viksit Bharat’ event at two educational institutions in the city.
The Pune district administration, in response to the heavy rains, issued an order on Wednesday night to keep all schools and colleges in Pune city and Pimpri-Chinchwad closed. District Collector Suhas Divase took this decision following an alert from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) about continued rains, lightning, and thunderstorms. The irrigation department also warned of water discharge from the dams, adding to the precautionary measures.
This isn’t the first time a high-profile visit has been affected by adverse weather conditions in Pune. In July, President Droupadi Murmu’s visit to the city was postponed due to heavy rains and water discharge from the dams. She was scheduled to attend the convocation ceremony at Symbiosis International University.
The heavy rains have already caused waterlogging in several parts of Pune, prompting the authorities to take stringent safety measures to protect residents and prevent any untoward incidents.