Pune: A dramatic sinkhole that swallowed a Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) truck near Belbaug Chowk in Budhwar Peth last week has been linked to a forgotten piece of the city's history.
Historian and heritage expert Sandeep Godbole shared crucial insights on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), revealing a possible explanation for the sinkhole.
Referring to an old map of Pune from the 1800s, Godbole highlighted the presence of a circular well near Belbaug Chowk. His findings indicated that this well, marked clearly on historical maps, had been improperly sealed over time and was no longer visible in maps from the 1960s.
Godbole remarked, "It was an old closed well from an earlier (Peshwa) era. An old map from the 1800s seems to confirm the theory – see the circular well marked by the arrow; there was no Laxmi Road then."
Another map from the 1960s, which he also shared, shows no trace of the well but marks the establishment of Laxmi Road and City Post.
The 25-foot-deep sinkhole, which appeared suddenly in a parking lot near City Post Chowk, sparked alarm among residents and local authorities, prompting urgent investigations into its cause.
The Pune Fire Brigade, which responded swiftly to the scene, was baffled by the collapse of what seemed to be a solid, paved surface. However, the mystery of the sinkhole's origin soon uncovered a deeper historical connection, shedding light on the remnants of Pune's past.
Pune Municipal Commissioner Rajendra Bhosale corroborated this theory, confirming that during the investigation, remnants of the old well had indeed been found at the site.
He acknowledged that the well had likely not been sealed properly decades ago, causing the ground to collapse over time and resulting in the massive sinkhole.
