2021, year for project completion in Pune

Politically, Pune is on the boil. MVA at the state and BJP in the PMC, puts the city at the heart of a unique power play. Net effect? A host of city projects are likely to be finished this year, as the BJP doubles down on its power base in Pune ahead of 2022’s civic polls

As municipal elections are slated for the year 2021-22, many projects are expected to be completed in the New Year, 2021.

Bhama Askhed water project got the nod in 2014, but has been delayed for various reasons. The Central government approved ₹380 crore for the project under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission. A population of 12 lakh from the eastern parts of the city will benefit from the project. The project is getting inaugurated on January 1 by former CM Devendra Fadnavis and deputy CM and guardian minister Ajit Pawar.(Rahul Raut/HT PHOTO)

For the last one year, development work has been at the mercy of the Covid-19 pandemic, but 2021, given the civic elections on the horizon, may see several projects in Pune move into overdrive, in terms of completion.

The eastern part of Pune city has been facing a water scarcity with many housing societies paying huge bills for water tankers.

This scenario is expected to be eased as the Bhama Askhed project is to be launched today.

The Metro in Pune city is likely to kick off this year.

Work on Pune Metro is going ahead at full capacity. Work on the elevated corridor, between Vanaz and Civil Court, is nearing completion. Work on the Pimpri-Chinchwad to Agriculture College route is almost complete. Maha-Metro had already started its trial run on the PCMC corridor. In 2021, PMC is likely launch commercial operations of the metro on these two corridors. (Pratham Gokhale/HT Photo)

Work on the tunnels, linking to key routes has been completed with the metro tunnel boring machines doing their job.

Pune city has only one government medical college government-backed, B J Medical college, attached to Sassoon Hospital.

Now, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is starting its own medical college from the next academic year. This will be based at the Naidu hospital.

The five-year tenure of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is going to end. Though elections are slated in January 2022, municipal elections are likely to be announced by November 2021.

The ruling BJP party will try to get maximum projects inaugurated before the municipal elections. BJP won with a record majority in the 2017 municipal elections. Now, the Maha Vikas Agadi (MVA) is in power at the state. Pune district guardian minister and chief minister, the NCP’s Ajit Pawar has his eye on Pune.

The ruling BJP would like to finish maximum projects to have any chance of ensuring that does not happen.