CM seeks master plan to resolve Hinjewadi's civic woes

Hindustan Times

2 days ago

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has directed all the concerned government agencies to jointly prepare a comprehensive master plan to address the growing infrastructure and civic challenges in Hinjewadi IT Park. In a key move on Thursday, he announced the creation of a 'single-point authority' to coordinate development work across departments, including PMC, PCMC, PMRDA, and MIDC. The meeting was attended by deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, minister of state Madhuri Misal, MLAs Shankar Jagtap, Shankar Mandekar, Mahesh Landge, senior officials, including additional chief secretary (Urban Development) Asimkumar Gupta, among others. (HT PHOTO)
'Hinjewadi residents are grappling with persistent issues such as traffic congestion, flooding, encroachments, and irregular water supply. All departments must work together to improve service delivery using available resources,' Fadnavis said during a high-level review meeting held at the state legislature on Thursday.
The meeting was attended by deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, minister of state Madhuri Misal, MLAs Shankar Jagtap, Shankar Mandekar, Mahesh Landge, senior officials, including additional chief secretary (Urban Development) Asimkumar Gupta, PMRDA commissioner Yogesh Mhase, Pune collector Jitendra Dudi, PMC commissioner Naval Kishore Ram, and others. Representatives of IT forums, citizens' groups, and housing society federations were also present.
Dattatraya Deshmukh, chairman of the PCMC Co-operative Housing Societies Federation, and secretary Sudhir Deshmukh expressed gratitude for the initiative. 'Thank you Devendra Fadnavis sir for taking concrete steps for Hinjewadi. We look forward to working closely with all agencies for the betterment of the IT Park,' they said.
The Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park in Hinjewadi, home to over 300 IT firms and more than 3 lakh employees, plays a crucial role in Maharashtra's economy. According to the 2024 STPI report, the Pune region accounts for the bulk of the state's ₹1.05 lakh crore in annual software exports.
Raising concerns through a written letter earlier this year, MP Supriya Sule had highlighted worsening civic issues in the area, including unauthorised constructions, inadequate drainage, unclean roads, and flooding, exacerbated by metro debris and blocked natural water channels.
Fadnavis stressed the need for urgent action. 'Thousands of IT professionals are affected by traffic snarls, particularly during monsoons. Top priority must be given to widening key roads, completing the ring road and flyover projects, and accelerating metro work,' he said.
He also called for finalising crucial road projects, including the Kaspatvasti-Hinjewadi Phase 3 stretch, and converting the Hinjewadi route into a six-lane corridor. 'Land acquisition must be done with transparency, fair compensation, and in consultation with local representatives,' he said.
The Chief Minister emphasised coordinated efforts for stormwater drainage, pedestrian infrastructure, and last-mile public transport. He directed divisional commissioners to hold regular coordination meetings to ensure faster execution.
Metro deadline set for Dec
Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar urged authorities to complete all metro station work in Hinjewadi by December this year. 'Enhancing public transport through metro connectivity will ease traffic pressure in the IT hub,' he said.
Pawar also instructed MIDC, PMRDA, and MahaMetro to address issues arising from road narrowing due to metro structures and called for joint planning to mitigate the impact. PMRDA commissioner Yogesh Mhase presented a detailed action plan during the meeting, laying out timelines for road and metro projects.
According to Shankar Jagtap, Chinchwad MLA of BJP, the growing traffic congestion, inadequate infrastructure, and lack of coordination among administrative bodies in the Hinjewadi IT Park area have made life miserable for thousands of IT employees and residents. 'This serious issue was brought to the attention of the Legislative Assembly, with a demand for concrete measures. Subsequently, a high-level meeting chaired by the Chief Minister made several decisive decisions regarding traffic, metro, roads, and infrastructure,' said Jagtap.
According to Jagtap, a demand was made to reserve and develop an alternative 30-metre-wide road within the PMRDA jurisdiction from Surya Hospital to Hinjewadi Phase 3 via Wakad. 'This road would divert more than 50% of the traffic from the current main route, permanently resolving the congestion issue. Devendraji responded positively to this demand immediately, issuing clear instructions to PMRDA and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation to reserve and develop the road as soon as possible,' he said.
'The creation of a single-point authority for Hinjewadi is a major step toward making the IT hub more efficient and livable,' said Bhosari MLA Mahesh Landge.