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Residents of Pune’s Baner-Pashan Link road fume over civic apathy
PUNE Underdeveloped road, garbage piled up on streets, lack of street lights, open drainage chambers – are major civic problems faced by residents of Baner-Pashan Link road as infrastructure development work is continuing at a snail’s pace in the area
PUNE Underdeveloped road, garbage piled up on streets, lack of street lights, open drainage chambers – are major civic problems faced by residents of Baner-Pashan Link road as infrastructure development work is continuing at a snail’s pace in the area.
Even stray dog menace, especially during the night time, has made it difficult to commute on the road, say, residents.
“The road work is pending for the last two years. No work was undertaken even after the lockdown period ended. Stray dogs are making things even worse as two cases of dog bite have occurred in last four days,” said Dinesh Sood, a resident of Baner-Pashan Link road.
There are 65 housing societies on the Baner-Pashan Link road area and at least 12,000 residents reside here.
A member of Baner-Pashan Link road Vikas Samitee said, “When I called Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) road department an official said currently other projects are undertaken on priority due to the March 31 deadline so we are not focusing on Baner-Pashan Link road as of now.”
Baner-Pashan Link road Vikas Samitee has so far conducted several meetings with PMC, but development work never picked up speed in the locality, claim members.
“According to the development plan of Baner-Pashan Link road, it should have gardens, libraries, children playground, but there is no infrastructure for common public,” said Sood.
Ashish Sharma, a resident of Crystal Palace housing society in the area, said, “There are all posh societies in this locality where people have spent crores of rupees to buy homes, but they are suffering without basic infrastructure.”
In 2019, PMC had decided to acquire land for the 120-foot-long link road, using the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, (LARR Act) 2013.
“Last year, no budget was allocated for the development of Baner-Pashan Link road. This year funds have been allotted and after the tendering process is complete the work will start, most probably after the monsoon. Since it is a big project it will need approval from the standing committee,” said Dinkar Gojare, superintendent engineer, PMC road department.
“There are two-three such localities where people are not willing to give land under the LARR Act. We will take advice from the land acquisition department,” said Gojare.
As per the LARR Act, PMC will have to pay a compensation of ₹5.9 crore to the landowners and an initial amount of ₹1.5 crore will have to be deposited with the district collector before the land acquisition process is initiated by the collector’s office.
