Pune: BJP’s Sandip Khardekar Raises Concern Over Defunct Mechanised Parking on JM Road

Pune, 12th May 2026: Sandip Khardekar, BJP leader and president of the Creative Foundation has written to Pune Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram demanding an immediate decision on the mechanised parking facility on Jangli Maharaj Road, claiming that the structure has remained unused for years and has now become financially unviable.

In his letter, Khardekar pointed out that the mechanised parking facility located opposite Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Garden was constructed by the Pune Municipal Corporation in 2007 but saw very limited use even after it became operational.

He stated that at the time, citizens were hesitant to use mechanised parking systems and the city did not face parking congestion on the current scale. Khardekar said he had earlier led protests against the project while serving as president of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, terming it a “white elephant”.

According to the letter, the parking structure has remained shut for nearly half of the last two decades. Khardekar said that when he had followed up on the matter around two years ago, civic officials had informed him that discussions were underway with Maha Metro regarding its future use.

However, he claimed that the facility currently remains abandoned and garbage has accumulated around the structure.

Citing feedback from experts, Khardekar said the mechanised parking system may no longer be practical as the size of vehicles has increased significantly over the years. He also questioned the financial viability of reviving the project, stating that renovation of the facility would amount to “maintaining another white elephant”.

He urged the civic administration to take a prompt and appropriate decision regarding the future of the parking facility.