Journalism of Courage
This panel is formed by merging two electoral wards -Aundh Gaothan and Aundh ITI -both represented by Congress corporators Sangeeta Gaikwad and Shivaji Bangar respectively. The two wards have seen Congress domination from 1992 with Dattatraya Gaikwad being elected for three terms as a corporator. He went on to become the city mayor.
After the ward was reserved for women,his wife Sangeeta Gaikwad contested elections and was elected corporator for two terms. The new reservations — one seat for other backward class and another for open (women) has remained unchanged from last elections when Bangar was elected as OBC candidate from his electoral ward,while Gaikwad was elected from open category (women). “The same will continue. The only difference is that the two wards have now been merged to form one panel and the area has increased with addition of Vidhate -Murkute Vasti in the panel,” Gaikwad said.
IT professional Prasad Chothwe,a resident of Marutrao Gaikwad Nagar,said that most commercial establishments in Aundh have not provided sufficient parking space,resulting in heavy traffic congestion on the road. “A classic example is the 500-metre stretch from Convergys call centre to old Aundh toll naka bridge where there are at least five restaurants,two malls and about two dozen shops. To add to it,the road is narrow and MSRTC Volvo buses use this road to reach Wakad,” he said.
