As ten municipal corporations in Maharashtra, including Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, go to polls next month, approvals to pending development plans are being witnessed at the last moment.
The State government has quickly approved the long-pending Development Plan (DP) for old Pune city.
The plan, languishing since 2007, aims to give a major change to traffic problems in the area. It also aims to redevelop the old buildings in this part of the city, which comprises the traditional Peth area. The Pune Metro Rail routes have also been marked in this area as per the DP.
Of the 937 reservations proposed in the DP, 850 have been retained.
The State government’s assent for restructuring old Pune is expected to earn political advantage over the NCP.
In a bid the match this move, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), controlled by the NCP, green-lighted a clutch of development projects pegged at Rs. 53 crore before the election code of conduct came into effect. Additionally, nearly 30 short notice proposals for new projects were also approved by the PCMC Standing Committee.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, heading the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in the State, has said that his party “would change the face of the city” if it comes to power in Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), which is currently being held by Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
Several sitting corporators of Congress and NCP have defected to BJP ahead of elections.
As many as nine sitting corporators, including five from NCP and three from Congress, have joined the BJP. High-profile defections include Bapu Karne and Pintu Dhawade of NCP, and Sheetal Sawant, Abhijit Kadam and Ashwini Jadhav of Congress.
“There are many more corporators from NCP who are eager to join us. They realise that NCP is a sinking ship. However, we are taking in only those who have some poll merit,” General Secretary of BJP’s Pimpri-Chincwad unit, Sarang Kamtekar said.
On the other hand, seven Congress corporators have shifted their allegiance to the NCP, their erstwhile coalition partner in the State. According to NCP leader Yogesh Behl, there are “many aspirants” who want to contest with the party’s ticket.
He added that the Congress corporators have joined his party willingly and alleged that BJP was “concertedly breaking parties” as it lacked suitable candidates for the polls.
