Congress Slams BJP Over Smart City Project Failures In Pune; Mohan Joshi Alleges Betrayal Of Public Trust
Pune, 11th April 2025: Congress leader and former MLA Mohan Joshi has sharply criticized the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) for failing to deliver on its promises under the Smart City Mission, accusing the party of deceiving Pune residents. Joshi alleged that not only did the city fall short of becoming “smart,” but even already-developed areas failed to benefit from the initiative.
“Forget transforming the entire city — even the areas that were already somewhat developed have not seen any meaningful improvement. The Smart City Mission has essentially collapsed. BJP made grand promises to Pune citizens and failed to deliver, which is nothing short of betrayal,” said Joshi, who currently serves as vice president of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee.
Joshi highlighted that several Smart City projects in Pune have been gradually shelved, and pointed fingers at the Modi-led government for failing to meet its own targets. He recalled that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced that 100 cities across India would be developed as Smart Cities, with Pune included in the first phase. The Baner-Balewadi region was selected for initial implementation, but according to Joshi, the efforts in this area have been unsuccessful.
He further accused BJP leaders of luring voters with tall claims ahead of elections, only to abandon their commitments post-victory. “None of the Smart City goals have been achieved in Pune. This is a clear case of misleading the public,” Joshi said.
