Pimpri-Chinchwad: A massive protest march was taken out by the residents of Chakan on Thursday in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area against the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA). The protesters alleged that PMRDA claims it is working, but behind the scenes, the work is not going on. The PMRDA administration asserts that hundreds and thousands of crores' worth of work is underway in the Chakan MIDC area, but still the traffic congestion and other problems persist in Chakan, the protesters alleged.
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Local citizens and companies in the Chakan area protested the work being done by the administration. The protest was done by citizens stating the works are incomplete, and now the work has only started because of upcoming local body elections. Furthermore, the residents of Chakan have made an earnest plea, saying, "We don't just want assurances now; show us the work."
The 'Traffic-Free Chakan Action Committee' organised a mass protest march on the PMRDA office on Thursday. The citizens' anger towards the administration was clearly visible during the march. The march organised by the 'Traffic-Free Chakan Action Committee' began at the Sangramdurg Fort in Chakan.
The 23 km procession proceeded via Talegaon Chowk, Alandi Phata, Dharmaveer Smarak Moshi, and Bhakti Shakti Chowk in Nigdi before reaching the PMRDA office in Akurdi. Hundreds of local citizens and company representatives participated in the march. It also included Shirur MP Amol Kolhe, former MP Shivaji Adhalrao Patil, and MLA Babaji Kale.
Protest Photos | Sourced
Protest Photos | Protest
The protestors also claimed that 1,700 people have died in the Chakan area. The demonstrators alleged that since the PMRDA was established, only the reservation for wide roads has been put on paper. However, in reality not even a single stone has been laid.
Shirur MP Amol Kolhe from the Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP) said, "This is a struggle started by the citizens. It is my duty as a public representative to support this fight. Chakan's breath is suffocated by congestion. Many authorities, like PMRDA, PWD, the Highway Authority, and MSEDCL, are working here. A comprehensive mobility plan should be prepared and implemented so that Chakan can breathe freely."
"PMRDA's job is not just to take action against encroachments. If they have only been removing encroachments for so many years, then should we lock up such a huge building (PMRDA office)? The government fears the public, so it puts the police forward," Kolhe added.
Protesters Intercepted By Police Outside PMRDA Office
When the protesters reached the PMRDA offices, they were met by a heavy police bandobast waiting for them. Police didn't allow the protesters inside the PMRDA building. Former MP Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil complained regarding this to the media. "Despite the peaceful temperament of this protest, still we weren't allowed inside." Adhalrao and MP Dr Kolhe also spoke with police. Kolhe alleged that PMRDA officials refused to accept the request letter in front of the public. The key delegates of the protest were called upwards in the office by the PMRDA officials.
Delegation Meeting PMRDA Commissioner Dr Mhase | Sourced
The protesters went on to do a sit-in protest in front of the PMRDA building after that. Dr Kolhe said, "If these people can walk this much, why doesn't the PMRDA commissioner do the basic courtesy and come down himself?"
However, after some discussions with the police, a selected group of people, including Dr. Kolhe, Adhalrao Patil, MLA Kale, and others, went upstairs to discuss the matters with PMRDA officials.
Why Did The Protest Happen?
Even though the PMRDA recently announced a large-scale road development plan worth ₹558.12 crore, local residents and industrialists in Chakan are still unhappy. This plan includes six major projects with a total budget of ₹196.50 crore and covers around 17.70 kilometres of roads that are currently being reviewed technically. Despite this, people feel that the progress on these projects is too slow. They alleged that this has not yet brought any real improvement to the area.
Chakan MIDC is filled with many large and small industries. Local residents and industrialists say that the delays are causing serious problems in their day-to-day lives. The traffic congestion problem on Chakan Road has become severe. It's making it difficult for people to travel even short distances. Commuters face long delays every day. The industries are hit due to transport and logistics operations too. Many businesses have reported financial losses because of this. The protesters have demanded a definite timeline for these projects.
Ground Realities & PMRDA's Efforts
It is widely known that Chakan is an important area for many car and automobile factories. The factories and industries here use heavy vehicles for transport, and it results in traffic congestion and road accidents. Industrialists have stated for years that the roads are not enough to handle all this traffic, which creates long jams. These traffic jams make life hard for people living there and also cause problems for businesses.
"The PMRDA has planned projects to improve the roads, including the Chakan bypass, but work is moving very slowly. One reason is that it takes time to acquire land and pay compensation. The bypass is supposed to reduce traffic by connecting the Chakan-Shikrapur and Chakan-Talegaon roads directly to the Pune-Nashik highway. We have removed encroachment, and work is ongoing as fast as we can," noted a PMRDA official.
PMRDA Metropolitan Commissioner Dr Yogesh Mhase told the media, "Road construction work worth approximately ₹250 crore is being carried out extensively in the Chakan area for infrastructure development. Information about the measures being taken to reduce traffic congestion has been provided to the members of the Action Committee and public representatives."
