Former Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) corporator Vasant More made a sarcastic post late on Sunday following an incident where a PMC truck and two two-wheelers fell into a large sinkhole that opened up at the Pune Post Office parking area in the crowded Samadhan Chowk of Budhwar Peth on Friday afternoon.
More, who contested the recent Lok Sabha elections on a Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi (VBA) ticket and later joined Shiv Sena (UBT), "congratulated" Punekars on the "successful attempt to commence a direct underground route from Pune to Antarctica."
The former Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader sarcastically wrote on X (formerly Twitter), "Before starting Pune-Dubai-Pune and Pune-Bangkok-Pune flights, and before opening the underground metro stretch from District Court to Swargate, a successful attempt has been made to commence a direct underground route to Antarctica from Pune's Laxmi Road. I congratulate all Punekars."
Meanwhile, speaking about the incident, PMC Commissioner Rajendra Bhosale said, "Since the post office building is over 100 years old, and considering the circular shape of the pit, it appears that there was a well-like structure underneath."
The viral video of the incident showed the truck sliding into the pit rear-side first as the surface, paved with interlocking cement blocks, caved in. Fortunately, the driver of the truck escaped unhurt. Following the incident, a fire brigade team rushed to the spot and started an operation to remove the truck and two-wheelers from the sinkhole. The operation concluded after more than three hours, with over 20 fire brigade personnel involved.
