The long-pending road widening and culvert project at Jambhulwadi Lake in Ambegaon Khurd has turned into a fresh political battlefield, with both the NCP (Sharad Pawar group) and the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde group) rushing to take credit for the work. The bhoomi poojan (groundbreaking ceremony) of the ₹5 crore project, funded through the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), is now being claimed by leaders from both camps.
On one side, Purandar-Haveli MLA Vijaybapu Shivtare of Shiv Sena (Shinde group) and PMC nominated corporator Shrikant Lipane announced the bhoomi poojan program today on September 24 Wednesday, stating it was made possible due to Shivtare’s special efforts and continuous follow-up. Their banners highlighted that a 75-meter-long and 12-meter-wide overbridge (culvert) will be constructed at Jambhulwadi Lake, and the groundbreaking is being done at their initiative.
However, the day before on Tuesday , September 23 the NCP (Sharad Pawar group) also organized a separate bhoomi poojan for the same work. Former Mayor Prashant Jagtap, Khadakwasla constituency president Kaka Pawar, Standing Committee Chairman Vishal Tambe, and several other party leaders attended. They credited the project entirely to the tireless follow-up of NCP corporator Smita Kondhare, who, they claimed, pursued the issue for over two and a half years and secured the sanction of ₹4.95 crore for the project.
Former Mayor Jagtap, in his speech, attacked rivals, saying, “When power, ministry, and the constituency were all in your hands, you still could not resolve this problem. But Smita Tai Kondhare worked persistently and succeeded. Within three years, she brought more than 15 projects, completed them, and inaugurated them. This is the real example of speedy development.”
{{/usCountry}}Former Mayor Jagtap, in his speech, attacked rivals, saying, “When power, ministry, and the constituency were all in your hands, you still could not resolve this problem. But Smita Tai Kondhare worked persistently and succeeded. Within three years, she brought more than 15 projects, completed them, and inaugurated them. This is the real example of speedy development.”
{{/usCountry}}The clash has not only resulted in competing ceremonies but also a “banner war” in Ambegaon, with both groups putting up large hoardings claiming credit. The situation reflects the deep political rivalry between the two parties, each trying to showcase its developmental credentials ahead of future elections.
Local citizens, meanwhile, are more concerned about the actual work, as the current narrow bridge at the Jambhulwadi Lake overflow causes major traffic bottlenecks. With both parties claiming ownership of the project, residents only hope the political tussle does not delay the much-needed road widening and culvert construction.