Mohammadwadi–NIBM Annexe Residents Oppose Ward 41 Merger with Undri, Call It Civic Betrayal

Reported by Shoaib Tadvi

Undri, 2nd September 2025: Residents of Mohammadwadi–NIBM Annexe have raised strong objections to the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) proposed Ward 41 restructuring, which merges their area with Undri. Citizens have termed the move arbitrary, illogical, and a deliberate attempt to weaken civic accountability, describing it as a “betrayal of public trust.”

Locals argue that Mohammadwadi–NIBM Annexe is geographically and functionally better aligned with Salunkhe Vihar or Kausarbaug wards, not Undri, which still lacks a sanctioned Development Plan (DP). According to them, the merger will dilute resources, disempower active citizens, and worsen long-pending civic concerns such as erratic water supply, absence of CCTV surveillance, and declining green cover.

Speaking on behalf of residents, activist Jaymala Dhankikar said: 

“People in Mohammadwadi–NIBM Annexe have been paying taxes for years without receiving even basic amenities in return. Water supply remains a daily struggle, open lands are quietly leased under PPP models, and green spaces are disappearing without accountability. Instead of addressing these gaps, the administration has chosen to merge us with Undri, which doesn’t even have a development plan. This isn’t planning—it’s a betrayal of public trust.”

Social activist and long-time NIBM Annexe resident, Shashikant Mehendale, described the restructuring as “planned dilution.”

“Merging our area with Undri defies all principles of urban governance. This isn’t planning; it’s a calculated move to weaken citizen voices and bury accountability while opening the door for unchecked private interests. Redrawing ward boundaries without consulting residents doesn’t solve problems—it erases them from sight.”

Residents further highlight that despite paying high municipal taxes, they are left without basic civic services. The community continues to rely on water tankers, lacks public amenities such as parks and community halls, and faces poor law and order alongside inadequate infrastructure.

Citizen groups have filed formal objections with PMC, demanding:

• A revision of Ward 41 boundaries based on geography and population density.
• The use of updated population data instead of the outdated 2011 Census.
• Equitable allocation of resources and fair representation.

They allege that the ward formation process is being influenced by vested interests to mask years of civic neglect while sidelining genuine concerns of residents.

With the objection process underway, residents of Mohammadwadi–NIBM Annexe are mobilising through housing societies and welfare groups. They maintain that the merger with Undri is not a step towards development but a deliberate attempt to delay it.