Pune: Wagholi Residents Voice Concerns Over Civic Issues in Meeting with MLA and Authorities
Wagholi, 30th January 2024: Residents of Wagholi expressed their grievances during a meeting on Monday, highlighting persistent challenges in their daily lives. Key issues raised included ongoing traffic chaos, inadequate water supply in multiple areas, and a deficient drainage network. Despite being part of the municipal limits for the past two years, residents conveyed their dissatisfaction during the meeting attended by local MLA Ashok Pawar and civic authorities.
MLA Ashok Pawar informed the gathering that he had approached the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) seeking Rs100 crore for the improvement of the sewage network in Wagholi. Additionally, residents called for administrative support to connect the Wagholi octroi post and Katkewadi through a road, aiming to alleviate traffic congestion on the main Nagar Road.
Expressing concern over the unresolved civic problems in Wagholi since its integration into PMC two years ago, Pawar assured residents that efforts were underway to address their hardships. With a population exceeding one lakh and a continuous growth trajectory, residents criticized the slow pace of infrastructure improvement by the administration.
While proposals for water supply schemes, waste processing units, a ward office, a separate police station, and anti-encroachment measures were on the table, residents noted that most of these projects were yet to commence. Commuters passing through Wagholi described the stretch as a significant bottleneck, with vehicles taking at least 30 minutes to traverse the area due to the absence of alternative roads.
Pawar stated, “PMC has committed Rs100 crore for the sewage network. We have also urged the civic body to expedite approvals for the water supply project and initiate implementation promptly. Discussions are in progress to kickstart the construction of the 100-ft-wide alternative road from the octroi post to Katkewadi.”
A separate water supply scheme, encompassing overhead storage tanks, new pipelines, and water connections for Wagholi and Lohegaon, awaited final approval from the PMC’s standing committee.
Sanjeevkumar Patil, representing the Wagholi Residents Association, emphasized that promises made by authorities and politicians needed to be fulfilled.
