Pune: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Guardian Minister of Pune district, Ajit Pawar -- the architect of modern Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, who transformed the region’s geography and infrastructure -- passed away in a plane crash on Wednesday. Although Pawar died in his janmabhoomi (land of birth), Baramati, he often referred to Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad as his karmabhoomi (land of work).
Ajit Pawar had an extensive and influential tenure as Guardian Minister, marked by a strong focus on infrastructure development, particularly within the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal limits. As the district’s longest-serving Guardian Minister, he emerged as a father figure and a true guardian for generations of residents across the Pune district.
Ajit Pawar died on Wednesday after a private chartered aircraft crashed while landing in Baramati. The plane, which was flying from Mumbai, went down during landing, killing all six people on board, including Pawar and the crew. The incident has plunged the state into shock and mourning.
All of Maharashtra is familiar with Ajit Dada’s punctuality. Just as he was disciplined with time, he never compromised on the quality of work. His working style involved planning for the next 50 years.
Neatness and precision were his inherent traits, visible in every action. He always emphasised that development work must be of high quality and aesthetically pleasing; he never left a project unfinished until he was fully satisfied.
Dada preferred performing groundbreaking ceremonies and inaugurations on-site. He loved Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad as much as Baramati. He would often arrive in the cities at the crack of dawn to inspect development work personally.
This kept officials and office-bearers on their toes, ensuring that quality was never compromised. As a result, the city's infrastructure remains of superior quality.
Ajit Pawar served multiple terms as Pune’s Guardian Minister across different governments. From 2004 to 2014, he drove major development initiatives under Congress–NCP rule. He returned during the MVA government (2020–2022) and again under the Mahayuti from 2023, continuing until his death in January 2026.
Ajit Pawar & The Oxford Of The East
Ajit Pawar’s impact on Pune City was characterised by a "Big City" vision aimed at making Pune a global technology and growth hub. As the Guardian Minister of Pune and State Finance Minister, he utilised his control over the state's purse strings to break long-standing deadlocks in Pune’s urban development.
In July 2025, Ajit Pawar announced a blueprint to develop the Pune Metropolitan Region (PMR) as a national-level growth hub. He projected the creation of 15–18 lakh jobs in Pune by 2030 by focusing on green mobility, IT, and manufacturing. Recognising that Pune City had grown too large for a single municipal body, he proposed creating three new municipal corporations (including Hinjawadi and Chakan) to ensure focused development and better traffic management.
Also, while multiple parties claimed credit for the Pune Metro, Ajit Pawar was the administrative force that ensured its completion. He pushed for the early completion of Metro Line 3 (Shivajinagar to Hinjawadi) to save the IT sector from "brain drain" due to traffic.
In his January 2026 manifesto, he made a bold proposal for free public transport (Pune Metro and Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited – PMPML). He calculated that traffic congestion cost Pune Rs 900 crore monthly and argued that a Rs 300 crore annual subsidy for free travel would actually save the city money.
He chaired the joint project between PMC and PCMC for the Mula-Mutha Riverfront Development. He insisted on flood management and cleanliness, ensuring the completion of the first 1.5 km stretch at Sangamwadi just before his death in early 2026.
He secured massive funding for the 170-km Pune Ring Road, designed to divert heavy traffic away from the city centre, calling it "the lifeline for Pune's next 50 years." He addressed the city's "piling garbage" and water scarcity by demanding accountability from PMC administrators and fast-tracking waste-to-energy plants.
Ajit Pawar balanced modern infrastructure with cultural preservation. As Guardian Minister, he distributed smartwatches and high-end equipment to Pune Police to improve response times and monitor the "Koyta Gangs" (local criminal groups). He personally oversaw the development of the Veer Vastad Lahuji Salve Memorial in Pune and the Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Memorial in Vadhu-Tulapur.
As Guardian Minister, Deputy CM, and Finance Minister, he allocated significant funds for development, making it easier to secure central government funding for major projects.
The Sculpture of Pimpri-Chinchwad
Ajit Pawar's political career began in Pimpri-Chinchwad. He first contested the Baramati Lok Sabha constituency in 1992, which included Pimpri-Chinchwad at the time. Under his leadership, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) held absolute power in the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) for 15 consecutive years. During this period, he made special efforts for the holistic development of the city.
By conducting in-depth studies of future urban needs, Ajit Pawar prepared a comprehensive development plan, identifying core infrastructure issues. He also studied how to strengthen public transport for seamless connectivity, which included high-quality roads, increasing the public bus fleet, and providing alternative transport routes. Furthermore, he ensured that modernisation did not harm the city’s environment.
Development gained momentum when PCMC received Rs 2,600 crore under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). These funds were utilised for solid waste management, roads, bus transport, water supply, drainage, and slum rehabilitation. He decided to establish the Pune International Exhibition and Convention Centre on 200 acres in Moshi.
Additionally, a Central Business District (CBD) project is taking shape on 33 acres along the Mumbai-Pune Highway. He proposed that 50% of this trade centre be for offices, 30% for retail, and 20% for entertainment. The iconic Science Park is also a part of this vision.
Guided by Ajitdada, PCMC adopted modern systems like e-governance for online bill payments. Several public welfare projects were built under his leadership, including housing for the poor via JNNURM and the Nigdi Ota Scheme. Roads, flyovers, grade separators, and gardens were developed, alongside large hospitals and other utility projects.
Projects like the Bhakti-Shakti Garden, the Mumbai-Pune road widening, railway flyovers, and the Acharya Atre Auditorium were brought to life. To honour the late Prof. Ramkrishna More, the Chinchwad auditorium was named after him. The Metro project also progressed rapidly under Dada’s influence. Schemes were implemented for workers, athletes, students, senior citizens, the industrial sector, and women.
For women, he initiated interest-free loans of Rs 15,000 – Rs 20,000 through self-help groups for home businesses, distributed sewing machines, and started training courses for driving and computers.
