Subscribe Now! Get features like

Over 70,000 residents staying at 30 residential societies in Mohammadwadi and Undri areas are struggling for their basic needs like water, roads, sewage line, street lights and garbage collection, besides facing encroachment, since 2012.

The residents under the aegis of Nyati County Residents Forum raised the issues at the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) level, but their pleas were unheeded despite the intervention of Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

Frustrated over constant neglect, the forum on July 25 raised their grievance with the Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) of the central government under the PMO.

The residents got a prompt response and the PMO through CPGRAMS directed the Maharashtra government to immediately look into the matter.

Following the directions of the state government urban development department (UDD), PMC sent its team engineer on the ground to assess the situation.

The PMC engineers visited the area and informed the forum members on August 28 that the work of laying an underground water pipeline was underway which residents have termed to be false.

“Presently, water lines are being developed as per available budget and water is distributed as per availability and quantity,” PMC water department office stated. Aniruddha Pawaskar, head, PMC water supply department, said, “We cannot provide water to all, but are making efforts to cover maximum residents. While the area is covered under the 24x7 water supply project, it will take time for the facility to reach every housing society. The area needs a water pumping station which is yet to be constructed. We are taking steps to resolve the water crisis in these areas.”

The forum members have decided to meet municipal commissioner this week.

Sunil Koloti, member, Nyati County Residents Forum, who has been spearheading the mission for better civic infrastructure, on Tuesday said, “We are fed up with the civic body’s apathy and will meet the civic chief Vikram Kumar to present our side.”

All societies in the area are heavily relying on private water tankers for their daily water requirements and incur huge monthly water expenses.

According to Koloti, since 2012-13, the residents who bought flats in these areas were promised water by builders and till date there is no PMC water supply or pipeline laid out.

“We are regularly paying property and water taxes and also funding for water tankers to survive. Roads from NIBM to Mohammadwadi and Undri need to widen as it see huge traffic and the stretch has potholes and encroachments. Sewage exit lines are absent as societies have to call for sewage tankers to pump out regularly and pay for the same. Many areas do not have streetlights.”

Many of the residents living in these areas include senior serving and retired army officials, IT professionals, working professionals, entrepreneurs, and serving and retired government officials.

Area resident Vikram Gurbaxani said, “PMC action is lacking in all respects at Undri when we see anti-social elements near our apartment complex creating a nuisance at night. We also see garbage dumped on approach roads.”

Mohammadwadi resident and Ganga Kingston Society secretary Daljeet Goraya said, “Mohammadwadi and Undri areas have been neglected for over one decade by PMC. Water infrastructure was never in place and private water tanker industry flourished at the cost of the tax paying residents. Amenity spaces are being grabbed by committees without the residents’ approval.”

Personalise your news feed. Follow trending topics