Pune: The final day of hearings on objections and suggestions for the draft delimitation of wards on Friday once again saw residents, political aspirants and party members — mainly from merged areas like Narhe, Shivne, Khadaksalwa and areas near Katraj — express dissatisfaction over the proposed boundaries.Seventy-seven people attended the hearing for the Narhe-Wadgaon Budruk ward (34), which had received the highest number of objections. They said the suggested ward boundaries were unsuitable and ignored natural limits. The abrupt division of wards had also impacted neighbouring wards like Shivane-Khadakwasla. Residents said the ward map was neither convenient for electors nor for candidates vying to become corporators, as it would hinder the execution of civic works. About 76 residents also raised objections to the Katraj-Ambegaon ward — the largest of the 41 wards, with a population of 1.14 lakh and represented by five corporators.Hearings on Friday at the Balgandharva Rang Mandir also focused on prominent wards such as Shivane-Khadakwasla, Warje-Popularnagar, Kondhwa-Yewalewadi and Mohammadwadi-Undri. Local residents said the areas and gaothans had been divided abruptly, with some demanding smaller wards represented by two corporators instead of four.The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) had received over 5,922 suggestions and objections on the maps of the 41 wards. A total of 828 citizens participated in the hearing, which was presided over by V Radha, additional chief secretary of the state general administration department and municipal commissioner Naval Kishore Ram.Ram said the hearings on Thursday and Friday were conducted peacefully. Most objections concerned boundaries and ward areas, while some focused on reservations and ward name changes. PMC is yet to finalise plans for polling centres, which has raised concerns among residents about potential changes.A report on the objections and suggestions raised during the hearings will be submitted to the state urban development department next week.Former corporators of Sinhagad Road area Haridas Charvad and Rajabhau Laigude said, “We have received feedback from our voters that the new ward limits are confusing. We have suggested changes to the ward maps to prevent it.”
