Ajit urges immediate start to relocating project-affected residents

Bhujbal said the expansion work should have been started by now, but the relocating nearby residents was still pending.

Ajit Pawar said the state government allocated Rs 200 crore for the land acquisition, gowever, this has not yet commenced. (Source: FB)

After state minister Chhagan Bhujbal raised concern over the slow pace of the Mahatma Phule Wada and Krantijyoti Savitribai Phule Memorial’s expansion work, the Maharashtra government urged the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to immediately take up relocating project-affected residents and start the land acquisition process in 15 days.

“It is necessary to relocate residents living around the memorial. The relocation of those residents who are willing to move to alternative locations should begin immediately,” said Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar while conducting a review of the project.

The state government has decided to preserve and expand Mahatma Phule Wada and Krantijyoti Savitribai Phule Memorial. State Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal participated in the project review and expressed concern over slow pace in implementing the project, the site of which he visited last week in Pune.

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Pawar said the state government allocated Rs 200 crore for the land acquisition, gowever, this has not yet commenced. “Around 1,000 residents around the memorial are to be relocated and options have been provided. Of these, 200 residents are willing to move to alternative locations, and relocation procedures for them should begin,” he said, adding that planning should be done to move the remaining residents in phases.

Bhujbal said the expansion work should have been started by now, but the relocating nearby residents was still pending. “Instead of relocating everyone at once, those who are ready to shift to alternative places should be moved first and their locations vacated. The remaining residents can then be relocated,” he said.

Ajay Jadhav

Ajay Jadhav is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, Pune. He writes on Infrastructure, Politics, Civic issues, Sustainable Development and related stuff. He is a trekker and a sports enthusiast. Ajay has written research articles on the Conservancy staff that created a nationwide impact in framing policy to improve the condition of workers handling waste. Ajay has been consistently writing on politics and infrastructure. He brought to light the lack of basic infrastructure of school and hospital in the hometown of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde even as two private helipads were developed by the leader who mostly commutes from Mumbai to Satara in helicopter. Ajay has been reporting on sustainable development initiatives that protects the environment while ensuring infrastructure development. ... Read More

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