With six swimming pools lying unused, PMC to spend Rs 1.5 cr to build new one

Even as six swimming pools put together by Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) have failed to attract any contractors through tendering process to run them, and hence have been untouched for almost a year, the civic standing committee has sanctioned Rs 1.5 crore to build one more in a former mayor's ward.

Representation pic

"Standing committee has given approval for a new swimming pool at Ramchandra Bankar Sports Complex, situated in ward number 44, which belongs to former mayor Vaishali Bankar," Vishal Tambe, chairperson of PMC's standing committee, said.

PMC already has 22 swimming pools in the city. But, it seems constructing a pool is far easier easy than operating one for 365 days. u00a0When contacted, PMC's deputy municipal commissioner of land estate department RT Shinde said, "If one looks at the situation of PMC's swimming pools in the city, I personally don't think there is any need for a new one."

Among the list of pools that are not functioning since the past several months are Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Pool at Parvati (annual rent Rs 1.7 lakh), Mengde Pool at Karve Nagar (annual rent Rs 94,000), two swimming pools at Warje (rent Rs 50,000 each annually), NV Gadgil Pool in Shaniwar Peth, and one in Ghorpadi (rent Rs 68,000 a year).

"We are not getting any response for tendering process, as contractor claims the rent of these facilities are too high. Since PMC has no system to operate these tanks on its own, they have been lying unused," Shinde told MiD DAY.

22
Number of PMC swimming pools in the city u00a0