PUNE: Ajit Pawar, Deputy Chief Minister, on Sunday said that the authorities should explore options like giving stop work notices to developers if they are not following the norms. Pawar was speaking with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) officials during a visit to Hadapsar constituency areas. He reviewed the development works in the vicinity. Citizens raised issues such as a lack of amenities, poor road infrastructure, and water scarcity. “The builders should mend their ways and provide facilities. If they are behaving arrogantly, the authorities should take strict action. The stop work notices should be issued,” he said.As per the PMC officials, the visit of the Deputy Chief Minister was organised to review the steps to decongest key traffic bottlenecks in Pune’s eastern corridor. Pawar directed civic and police authorities to adopt advanced technology and fast-track infrastructure projects in the Hadapsar and Mundhwa areas.Pawar, who is also the Guardian Minister for Pune district, visited several traffic-prone spots, including the under-construction Kharadi–Keshavnagar bridge, Mundhwa Chowk, and Hadapsar bus terminus. Pawar said Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority can hand over open spaces in these areas to PMC. Those lands will be used to develop public infrastructure.“A complex situation is created due to multiple local self-governing bodies controlling the area. The PMRDA is giving building permissions, and PMC is made to develop civic facilities. If needed, the areas and rights of giving permission should be handed over to PMC. The issue can be taken up to the chief minister’s office if required to do so,” he said.Pawar said a coordinated approach involving the PMC, Pune police, PMPML, PMRDA, and elected representatives is needed to identify sustainable traffic management strategies for the areas. The citizens have given money for buying properties and are demanding civic facilities in return, which is a justified demand.“All stakeholders must come together to evaluate feasible alternatives and initiate actionable steps without delay. The construction of the flyover should be expedited so that citizens will get relief earlier,” he added.Parrikar? Who?() Local residents highlighted concerns related to water supply, road quality, street lighting, law and order, and bus services and traffic. A lady advised Pawar to carry out surprise visits on the “road during peak hour time like Parrikar,” to check the see the sufferings of common citizens. Pawar questioned, “Parrikar? Who?” To which the lady said she was citing an example of former Chief Minister of Goa and Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar. Pawar said that he was also carrying out the visits “to check the ground realities” and make sure that the citizens are not suffering due to traffic issues.
