Pune: PMC Targets Daily Citizen Problems with New ‘Shahar Parivartan Kaksha’ Cell
Reported by Mubarak Ansari
Pune, 5th February 2026: After years of complaints over broken footpaths, repeatedly dug-up roads, poor coordination between departments and daily inconvenience to citizens, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has launched the ‘Shahar Parivartan Kaksha’ (City Transformation Cell) to shift from discussion to direct action on civic issues.
The first meeting of the new cell was held at the PMC headquarters and lasted nearly three hours in the presence of Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram and District Collector Jitendra Dudi. Senior officials from multiple departments participated in the review.
The administration made it clear that instead of focusing only on large infrastructure projects, the priority will now be on everyday problems faced by ordinary Punekars. A concrete action plan was discussed for road maintenance, footpath repairs, cleanliness, stopping unnecessary digging, and improving coordination among government departments by bringing them to one table.
As a recent example of coordination, officials pointed to the repair of 75 km of roads ahead of the Pune Grand Tour cycling event. The administration has decided that these roads will not be dug up for the next five years. In addition, roads along proposed cycling tracks will be resurfaced and beautified in the coming year.
A major issue raised was the obstruction caused by electric poles and feeders that remain in place even after road widening. The PMC has decided to allocate funds in the upcoming budget to shift around 2.5 to 3 lakh electric poles across the city through the Shahar Parivartan Kaksha.
The administration also said that repairs of 2,000 chamber covers have already been completed, and similar work will be carried out across the city over the next year.
For road development, land acquisition will be fast-tracked in coordination with the District Collector’s office. It was also clarified that residents of newly merged villages will not be denied civic facilities due to the absence of a development plan. The PMRDA will be instructed to begin the required works in these areas.
The PMC has decided to hold monthly review meetings of the Shahar Parivartan Kaksha to monitor progress. Officials said citizens should start seeing visible changes on the ground by the end of 2026.
