Roads in Pune Being Repaired, Heavy Vehicles Banned? Oh Yeah, ‘VIPs’ Are Coming!
Reported By Varad Bhatkhande
Balewadi, 20th February 2025: The people of Pune should only hope that VIPs come to their place to get changes and improvements in their current situation, as it has become evident by recent happenings in the Balewadi area. Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis, along with other VIPs, are coming to Balewadi’s Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex to start the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Phase 2.0. As a result, road repairs have been requested to ensure the VIPs’ ‘safety’.
The Balewadi Stadium is along the Katraj Dehu Road bypass section of the Mumbai Bengaluru Highway, and its service road has been deteriorated for long. Media and people have raised voices for these service roads to be of good quality, which comes under the purview of National Highway Authorities of India (NHAI). However, time and again, they have been ignored or, worse, answered with low-quality works that get damaged in a few days.
The area, falling under Pimpri Chinchwad Police Commissionerate’s (PCPC) Bavdhan Police Station, has prompted the Bavdhan Police to ‘request’ NHAI for work due to the VIPs coming to the Balewadi Stadium. Traffic changes disrupting the lives of normal people are always made for these VIPs as a part of India’s great ‘VIP Culture’. Despite heavy vehicles being banned in this part for the rest of the day on the 22nd February due to the event, the Senior Police Inspector of Bavdhan Police Station has personally written to NHAI officials, saying that due to VIPs Home Minister Shah and CM Fadnavis coming, please repair these roads for the need of their ‘safety’.
People have raised concerns about whether there is no concern for the ‘safety’ of common people. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Pune has raised its voice too, calling out the hypocrisy of this situation.
“Almost all the roads in the city and surrounding areas are riddled with potholes, and their condition continues to deteriorate. The NHAI and municipal corporation authorities seem to conveniently turn a blind eye to this issue. Meanwhile, the police appear to consider ‘vehicle enforcement’ as their primary duty. However, upon learning that the Union Minister and Chief Minister are visiting Pune on the 22nd, their sudden concern became evident. The police inspector of Bavdhan police station has urgently requested highway authorities to fill potholes on the roads the ministers will be using. This raises a critical question: Why don’t the authorities show the same concern for ordinary citizens?” asked civil rights activist Prafful Sarda.
While NHAI and municipal officials turn a blind eye, police focus only on vehicle enforcement. However, after learning about the ministers’ visit, police requested pothole repairs on their route, raising questions about the lack of concern for citizens.
