As Kasba bypoll draws near, citizens more concerned about basic amenities

Local residents are more concerned about irregular water supply, poor drainage, traffic jams and other issues plaguing this part of the city

While the Kasba peth bypoll on February 26 is going to be a straight contest between Hemant Rasne of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Ravindra Dhangekar of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), local residents are more concerned about irregular water supply, poor drainage, traffic jams and other issues plaguing this part of the city for a long time now.

A dilapidated wada at Kasba Peth. (HT PHOTO)

“I have been born and brought up in Sadashiv peth, Pune, and it is part of the old city and has its own problems as compared to the rest of the city. From the last 10 to 12 years, there is a sudden increase in the number of students, especially those coming to the peth areas for competitive exam preparations. An entire ecosystem has come up to cater to the everyday needs of these students. This has ultimately impacted basic amenities such as water supply, electricity and traffic among others. None of the political parties are interested in resolving these issues,” said Madhav Joshi, a citizen.

Jyoti Memane, a Kasba peth resident, said, “We stay near Shaniwarwada and Kasba Ganpati temple. Every weekend, there are massive traffic jams in this area due to tourists visiting these places and also the nearby markets being crowded. Before every election, we demand a solution to these problems but nothing gets done. We understand the area has its limitations but at least, additional traffic police can be deployed.”

Whereas MVA (Congress) candidate Dhangekar said, “I have been a corporator with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) since many years and am working hard to resolve these issues. If planned systematically and with the help of the administration, it is possible to resolve the traffic, water supply and other important issues of Punekars in the Kasba constituency. Once elected, I will prioritise these issues and raise them in the state assembly to get them resolved.”