Pune: Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday sounded the poll bugle for Pune Municipal Corporation by inaugurating and launching development projects worth Rs 3,000 crore.Just before the announcement on the civic polls, the CM inaugurated nine projects and laid the foundation stone for 14 infrastructure works in Pune Municipal Corporation’s limits worth Rs 3,000 crore. Fadnavis said, “Maharashtra is the only state which has two metro cities,Mumbai and Pune, and Pune is the state’s growth engine. At a time when data is driving economies all over the world, Maharashtra will be India’s data centre, and Pune can become the GCC hub.”While admitting that traffic congestion is chronic in the city, Fadnavis said that the state govt is committed to provide ease of living for Puneites. “The biggest issue that Pune’s residents face is mobility. The city requires intervention by the state to address its traffic issue, and we have prepared a comprehensive mobility plan.”At the same event, deputy chief minister and Pune’s guardian minister Ajit Pawar said engineers do not use their ‘wisdom’ while designing flyovers, and politicians face the brunt of people’s anger. Citing the demolition of the flyover at SPPU junction to construct a new one with the Metro line, Pawar said, “When the flyover was razed, people criticised us (politicians), but in reality, the engineers did not use their wisdom during the planning. Now two flyovers on Hadapsar road also will have to be razed.”Earlier in the day, he unveiled the statues of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and Ahilyabai Holkar at Ichalkaranji and Sangli. At Ichalkaranji, Fadnavis pledged that he would resolve the water supply project issue. The textile town receives water from the polluted Panchganga river, and residents want supply from Dudhganga river through the proposed Sulkud pipeline project which is being opposed by farmers.
