Pune: PMC Scrambles as MLA Pathare Fasts for 300-Meter Stretch of Lohgaon-Kharadi Bypass Road

Reported by Mubarak Ansari
Lohgaon, 2nd May 2025: In a dramatic move aimed at jolting the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) into action, Vadgaon Sheri MLA Bapusaheb Pathare began an indefinite fast on Friday to demand the completion of a 300-meter stretch of road connecting Forest Park and the Gothan Odha route to the Lohgaon-Wagholi main road. Despite residents raising the issue for nearly a decade, the road remained unfinished, posing daily hazards for schoolchildren, senior citizens, and even emergency vehicles.

Pathare launched his fast at 8:30 AM at the site of the incomplete road, drawing immediate attention and widespread support from local residents and volunteers. “People have suffered injuries due to potholes and broken surfaces. This is the result of PMC’s persistent inaction,” he said.

The MLA alleged that while the landowner is cooperative, the administration has consistently delayed key procedures such as land surveys and paperwork. “For the past 8–10 years, PMC officials have offered nothing but hollow assurances—‘we’ll see,’ ‘we’ll do it’—without showing real intent. The lack of connectivity between DP (Development Plan) roads has led to traffic congestion and frequent accidents,” he added.

Pathare emphasized that his protest is not politically motivated but a fight for citizens’ rights and basic infrastructure.

The protest prompted a swift response from civic officials. Within hours, PMC’s Circle 1 Deputy Commissioner Rajendra Jagtap, Executive Engineer of the Construction Department Rajesh Bhutkar, and Road Department Executive Engineer Sanjay Dharav visited the site and began initial work on the road.

However, Pathare refused to call off his protest, stating, “Symbolic beginnings or token visits are not enough. I will not end my fast until the road is fully constructed, asphalted, and made walkable for residents.”

The protest has once again put the spotlight on PMC’s administrative delays, especially in rapidly growing urban areas like Vadgaon Sheri. While the commencement of work is a positive step, the episode underscores the extent to which public representatives have to go to secure basic civic amenities.

As work begins under public and media scrutiny, residents of the area now wait to see whether PMC will follow through and complete the road without further delay.