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Building Pune: City to have Metropolitan Surveillance Unit facility for speedy control of infectious diseases

Pune is the fourth city in Maharashtra to establish a Metropolitan Surveillance Unit, joining Mumbai, Thane, and Nagpur.

3 min readPuneDec 11, 2025 04:27 PM IST

Building Pune: City to have Metropolitan Surveillance Unit facility for speedy control of infectious diseases

The Central Government has given its approval to the establishment of the Metropolitan Surveillance Unit in Pune under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) scheme. (Source: File)

Pune, one of the fastest-growing cities in India, has witnessed several outbreaks of infectious diseases in recent years. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) will soon create a state-of-the-art Metropolitan Surveillance Unit (MSU) at Tukaram Jawale Bhavan in Kasba Peth. This unit will have a dedicated medical staff responsible for continuously monitoring, assessing, and planning strategies to tackle infectious diseases in the city.

The Central Government has given its approval to the establishment of the Metropolitan Surveillance Unit in Pune under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) scheme. Out of the 20 municipal corporations selected nationwide to set up MSUs, only seven have become operational. Pune is the fourth city in Maharashtra to establish an MSU, joining Mumbai, Thane, and Nagpur.

“The MSU operations in Pune began in August this year with a limited staff at a temporary facility. However, the permanent MSU setup is being developed at Jawale Bhavan,” said Vaishali Jadhav, the Assistant Medical Officer in charge of establishing the MSU for Pune.

So far, the PMC has appointed 25 medical professionals for the MSU, of which 16 have been recruited on a contract basis. These include specialists in public health, entomology, research assistants, technical officers, pharmacists, lab technicians, and multipurpose assistants. The staff received training in September.

Through the MSU, Pune will gain access to advanced laboratories, skilled personnel, scientific surveys, and other essential components necessary for addressing various epidemic diseases. The central Technical Support Unit (TSU) has already visited the MSU site to provide assistance.

The MSU will conduct regular surveillance of diseases and factors related to them, such as vector breeding, drinking water analysis, food quality, and hygiene. It will coordinate with the Forest Department and Animal Husbandry Department to monitor the movement of bacteria or viruses in humans, livestock, and wildlife.

“Additionally, the MSU will oversee surveillance of vaccine-preventable diseases and provide training and skill development for healthcare professionals and frontline health workers to ensure an effective response to public health emergencies,” Jadhav emphasized. He mentioned that the MSU will also monitor diseases during large gatherings, such as festivals and palkhi events, in collaboration with public health, sanitation, water supply departments, and disaster response teams.

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The Pune civic body has established a Microbiology and Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory – Biosafety Level under MSU to strengthen diagnostic capacities for infectious disease surveillance. The work order for the laboratory has already been issued.

The MSU will facilitate real-time data collection and analysis, verify media alerts regarding health issues in urban areas, and promptly respond to any unusual health events reported in Pune city.

Jadhav noted that the MSU will establish connections with both private and public health facilities, relevant government departments, and entry points to the city, including the airport, railway stations, and bus stands.

Through the MSU, the PMC will coordinate with national and state-level public health institutes, such as the National Institute of Virology, the National Chemical Laboratory, and medical colleges, to research and address disease outbreaks in Pune, she noted.

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Pune has experienced significant health crises in the past, including severe outbreaks of Covid-19 during the pandemic, Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) earlier this year, and instances of SARS and Swine Flu, largely due to its high population density.

Ajay Jadhav

Ajay Jadhav is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, Pune. With over 22 years of experience in the industry, he is a highly specialized journalist whose work focuses on the intersection of urban infrastructure, governance, and sustainability. Professional Background Role: As Assistant Editor, he plays a key role in the editorial direction of the Pune bureau, specializing in urban policy and its direct impact on citizens. Education: He holds a Master’s degree in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a PG Diploma in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). He also studied at the prestigious Fergusson College. Impactful Reporting: He is credited with research-based articles on conservancy staff (waste workers) that influenced national policy for better working conditions. He is also known for exposing the contrast between high-end infrastructure (like helipads for leaders) and the lack of basic amenities like schools in their home districts. Personal Interests: An avid trekker and sports enthusiast, his personal interest in the outdoors often informs his reporting on environmental protection and sustainable development. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) His reporting in late 2025 has been dominated by the upcoming January 2026 Civic Polls in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, and the city's infrastructure boom: 1. Political Analysis (Civic Elections 2026) "Not friendly but a bitter fight lies ahead between BJP and NCP for PMC, PCMC" (Dec 22, 2025): A detailed look at the intense rivalry between the Mahayuti partners as they prepare for the January 15 municipal elections. "Pune civic polls: Big blow to NCP, NCP(SP) as leaders switch to BJP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on high-profile poaching and party-hopping ahead of the elections. "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): Analyzing the results of the local self-government body elections as a precursor to the main civic polls. 2. Infrastructure & Urban Development "Looking Ahead at 2026: Pune to see inauguration of much-awaited Hinjewadi to Shivajinagar metro route" (Dec 22, 2025): An "outlook" piece on the critical Metro Line 3 project expected to finish by March 2026. "Building Pune: PMC to construct double-decker bridge over Mula-Mutha River" (Dec 18, 2025): Detailing a major project aimed at easing traffic between Hadapsar and Kharadi. "Condition of highway from Pune to Kolhapur to improve in a year: Gadkari" (Dec 4, 2025): Reporting on the Union Minister’s assurances regarding one of the state's most critical transport corridors. 3. Civic Governance & Environment "Install sensors, LED indicators at construction sites within 15 days: PMC to builders" (Dec 16, 2025): A follow-up to the "Breathless Pune" series, reporting on new mandates for builders to monitor air quality in real-time. "Errors in electoral rolls: PMC corrects data of 92,466 voters" (Dec 16, 2025): Tracking the administrative efforts to clean up the voter lists before the 2026 elections. Signature Style Ajay Jadhav is known for accountability journalism. His work often bridges the gap between high-level policy and the "ground zero" reality of Pune's residents. He is particularly focused on Sustainable Development, ensuring that as Pune grows into a "Bharat Mandapam" style destination (referring to his report on the Lohegaon project), its environmental and social safeguards remain intact. X (Twitter): @ajay_khape ... Read More

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