MPs and MLAs support but villagers oppose merger of Hinjewadi with PCMC | Pune News

Pune: Political leaders across party lines have expressed support for merger of Hinjewadi with Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, following a citizen-led campaign demanding better infrastructure facilities.The online petition campaign, titled ‘UNCLOG Hinjawadi IT Park’, was initiated by IT professionals and residents after severe waterlogging and traffic congestion in the area during the first spell of rain earlier this month. Over 22,000 people have already signed the petition to support this demand.Hinjewadi’s Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park currently falls under Hinjewadi gram panchayat, while Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) is responsible for its infrastructure development. The surrounding areas fall under the jurisdiction of Pune Metropolitan Development Authority (PMRDA) and Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation. Residents and professionals have said that lack of coordination between different govt agencies was at the root of unresolved civic issues in the area.In 2015, PCMC passed a resolution in the standing committee meeting for merger of seven villages, including Hinjewadi, Maan, Marunji, Jambhe, Nere, Sangawade, and Gahunje, with the municipal corporation. However, no progress was made since the proposal was submitted to the state govt at that time, a senior PCMC official said.Shivsena MP from Maval, Shrirang Barne, on Thursday wrote to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, urging the state govt to act before ward delimitation for the municipal election begins. He said, “The civic elections are likely to be held in Nov-Dec. If these villages are merged with the municipal corporation, new corporators will be elected and a planned development of the area can be done.“NCP-SP’s Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule, under whose constituency Hinjewadi falls, told TOI that she also signed the online petition and is supporting the residents demands. “I have requested the CM to call a joint meeting of all concerned agencies and elected representatives to address this issue,” she said.BJP MLAs Shankar Jagtap (Chinchwad) and Mahesh Landge (Bhosari) have also expressed support and urged the state govt to consider the demand raised by IT professionals and residents.Sachin Londhe of Wakad-Pimpri Chinchwad Residents Development and Welfare Association, who started the online petition campaign, said, “Our immediate demand is to resolve infrastructural issues within the next 30 to 60 days. For a long-term solution, either a merger with PCMC or creation of a separate independent governing body should be considered.” He added that residents and IT professionals are concerned that their pressing issues about infrastructure, which require immediate solution, might get sidelined if they are tied up in the lengthy merger process.Meanwhile, the residents of Hinjewadi and nearby villages, mainly the landowners, have objected to the move. Ganesh Jambhulkar, the sarpanch of Hinjewadi, said all seven villages have opposed the merger and submitted letters to the govt requesting formation of a separate municipal council on multiple occasions in the past.“The IT professionals demanding merger are neither the residents of Hinjewadi nor do they own land here. Those who are going to be affected by the decision are the landowners and villagers,” he said.He pointed out that incidents of waterlogging and traffic congestion have been reported only in areas under MIDC’s jurisdiction, not in gram panchayat limits. “MIDC now collects 50% of tax revenue from the area, which was previously collected by the gram panchayat. Therefore, it is their responsibility to address these issues,” he said.PMRDA commissioner Yogesh Mhase said that they have submitted a report to the state govt about measures taken to address infrastructure-related issues in Hinjewadi. Pune: Political leaders across party lines have expressed support for merger of Hinjewadi with Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, following a citizen-led campaign demanding better infrastructure facilities.The online petition campaign, titled ‘UNCLOG Hinjawadi IT Park’, was initiated by IT professionals and residents after severe waterlogging and traffic congestion in the area during the first spell of rain earlier this month. Over 22,000 people have already signed the petition to support this demand.Hinjewadi’s Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park currently falls under Hinjewadi gram panchayat, while Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) is responsible for its infrastructure development. The surrounding areas fall under the jurisdiction of Pune Metropolitan Development Authority (PMRDA) and Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation. Residents and professionals have said that lack of coordination between different govt agencies was at the root of unresolved civic issues in the area.In 2015, PCMC passed a resolution in the standing committee meeting for merger of seven villages, including Hinjewadi, Maan, Marunji, Jambhe, Nere, Sangawade, and Gahunje, with the municipal corporation. However, no progress was made since the proposal was submitted to the state govt at that time, a senior PCMC official said.Shivsena MP from Maval, Shrirang Barne, on Thursday wrote to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, urging the state govt to act before ward delimitation for the municipal election begins. He said, “The civic elections are likely to be held in Nov-Dec. If these villages are merged with the municipal corporation, new corporators will be elected and a planned development of the area can be done.“NCP-SP’s Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule, under whose constituency Hinjewadi falls, told TOI that she also signed the online petition and is supporting the residents demands. “I have requested the CM to call a joint meeting of all concerned agencies and elected representatives to address this issue,” she said.BJP MLAs Shankar Jagtap (Chinchwad) and Mahesh Landge (Bhosari) have also expressed support and urged the state govt to consider the demand raised by IT professionals and residents.Sachin Londhe of Wakad-Pimpri Chinchwad Residents Development and Welfare Association, who started the online petition campaign, said, “Our immediate demand is to resolve infrastructural issues within the next 30 to 60 days. For a long-term solution, either a merger with PCMC or creation of a separate independent governing body should be considered.” He added that residents and IT professionals are concerned that their pressing issues about infrastructure, which require immediate solution, might get sidelined if they are tied up in the lengthy merger process.Meanwhile, the residents of Hinjewadi and nearby villages, mainly the landowners, have objected to the move. Ganesh Jambhulkar, the sarpanch of Hinjewadi, said all seven villages have opposed the merger and submitted letters to the govt requesting formation of a separate municipal council on multiple occasions in the past.“The IT professionals demanding merger are neither the residents of Hinjewadi nor do they own land here. Those who are going to be affected by the decision are the landowners and villagers,” he said.He pointed out that incidents of waterlogging and traffic congestion have been reported only in areas under MIDC’s jurisdiction, not in gram panchayat limits. “MIDC now collects 50% of tax revenue from the area, which was previously collected by the gram panchayat. Therefore, it is their responsibility to address these issues,” he said.PMRDA commissioner Yogesh Mhase said that they have submitted a report to the state govt about measures taken to address infrastructure-related issues in Hinjewadi.