The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has launched a pilot initiative to develop walkable and uniform footpaths across the city, beginning with repair work at Model Colony. The project was inaugurated in the presence of Pune mayor Manjushree Nagpure and municipal commissioner Naval Kishore Ram on Monday.
Speaking at the launch, Nagpure said the PMC has started a special drive to repair and upgrade footpaths citywide, with the pilot project being implemented along Lakaki Road, from Thorat Chowk to Vetalbaba Chowk in Model Colony. “Under the drive, the civic body will remove obstructions such as electric poles, distribution boxes and other hurdles from footpaths, besides clearing encroachments. All footpaths will be brought to a uniform level to make them safer and more walkable,” she said. The pilot project will cover a stretch of 1.4 km in Model Colony and will later be extended to other parts of the city.
The mayor also announced the launch of a new initiative titled ‘Jaglaya’, aimed at continuous monitoring of footpaths. Under the programme, each PMC ward office will appoint a dedicated employee who will regularly walk along footpaths in their respective areas and note down obstructions and deficiencies. These would include electric poles, DP boxes, encroachments and uneven surfaces.
The designated employee will be required to submit a daily report to senior officials, based on which corrective action will be taken. “All the collected data will be reviewed at a higher level to ensure timely and effective action,” Nagpure said.
{{/usCountry}}The designated employee will be required to submit a daily report to senior officials, based on which corrective action will be taken. “All the collected data will be reviewed at a higher level to ensure timely and effective action,” Nagpure said.
{{/usCountry}}MLA Siddharth Shirole and the leader of the house, Ganesh Bidkar, were present at the launch of the drive.
The commissioner instructed civic staff to ensure that the pilot stretch is developed as a model footpath and said the same standards would be replicated across Pune.