Pune: With the civic polls just around the corner, residents across Pune have drafted their own set of demands in the form of citizens’ manifestos to highlight persistent local issues, urging political candidates to include them in their official promises.
Amol Shinde, a resident of Vanaj, highlighted concerns about rapidly increasing redevelopment projects.
“I will vote in Ward 11, but my vote will only go to a candidate who doesn’t just make promises but actually solves issues like traffic jams. Some junctions have become bottlenecks where people are stuck for hours. In the DP plan, the road is supposed to be 30 metres wide, but in reality, it’s only 9 metres. PMC keeps approving redevelopment projects earlier; our societies had buildings with only three floors, now they are 15 floors. This has increased pollution and the pressure on public amenities. If redevelopment is happening, then footpaths, roads, and other facilities must be upgraded too. The traffic situation near Rahul Park, Lane No. 8 in Lokmanya Nagar, is the worst,” he said.
Rohan Shah, a shop owner from Ward 31, expressed frustration with civic enforcement.
“I have a shop near Sutar Hospital in Kothrud, and we pay taxes to PMC, but we are still dissatisfied because officials keep telling us not to display anything outside our shops. The encroachment team fines us for the smallest things, but street vendors with handcarts who illegally occupy footpaths face no action. They don’t pay taxes and still run successful businesses, while we suffer losses. We want our elected representatives to remove illegal encroachments. During the monsoon, the entire area gets submerged in rainwater. We need better drainage to prevent flooding,” he said.
Avinash Palve, a lifelong resident of Kothrud, raised concerns about environmental loss.
“I was born and brought up here. This area used to be full of peepal and other trees; now there are none. In the name of redevelopment, trees and hills have been destroyed and replaced with high-rises. It feels like elected representatives and officials are working for builders, not citizens. Roads are full of potholes, traffic is unbearable, and we don’t have basic amenities like 24-hour water. In the next 10 years, Pune will face water scarcity because pollution is rising, and no alternative planning is being done. Drainage pipelines release waste directly into the Khadakwasla Dam, which supplies 90% of Pune’s drinking water. There’s no discussion about new STPs. I am not against redevelopment, but infrastructure must be upgraded first,” he said.
Amit Botre, from the Paud Road area, alleged corruption in handling encroachments.
“Encroachment is a major issue in our area. Many ward officials take money from handcart vendors; there’s a whole nexus. Most handcarts are owned by politicians, which is why no action is taken. Meanwhile, honest shop owners suffer. Parking is another huge problem. The metro line passes through here, but the lack of parking makes people hesitant to use it regularly. The issues here are similar to what we see in other parts of the city,” he said.
