6,433 industrial units shut in Pune in five years, says Uddhav Sena MP

Maharashtra industrial closures crossed 36,211 in five years, with Pune, Mumbai City and Thane recording the highest number of shutdowns.

4 min readPuneUpdated: Aug 13, 2026 09:22 AM IST

Over 6,000 industrial units in Pune shuttered in last five years: Union Ministry

The MP said he has also asked for details as to whether the government proposes tax incentives and location- based benefits to attract genuine industries to rural and backward districts of Maharashtra to generate employment. (AI generated image)

Even as the Union Ministry of Corporate Affairs said that 36,211 industrial units have shut shop in Maharashtra in the last five years, including 6,433 in Pune, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Rajabhau Waje on Wednesday questioned the Maharashtra government’s claims of having signed MoUs worth several thousand crores for new investments in the state.

“While the government claims to have signed MoUs worth multi-crore rupees for investments in various places, it should pay attention to the current condition of existing industries in the state which are closing down in big numbers. How many MoUs have materialised in terms of industrial establishments?” Waje told The Indian Express.

He said the government should focus not only on attracting new investments but also on retaining existing industries and making land belonging to closed units available for new ventures.

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In a written reply to Waje, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs on Monday said 6,433 industrial units had closed in Pune district in the last five years. Mumbai city recorded 12,009 closures, while 4,704 units shut down in Thane. Maharashtra saw more than 36,211 private companies being liquidated, dissolved or struck off during the period.

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Waje said industrial hubs such as Mumbai, Pune and Nashik have adequate infrastructure for industrial growth, yet companies continue to shut down. “The government needs to find out the exact reasons. Once a company shuts down, its land remains vacant for a long time,” he said.

He said land belonging to closed companies often remains unavailable because of pending agreements, loans or legal disputes. “These cases need to be resolved expeditiously to make the land of closed companies available for new ventures,” he said.

Waje had sought details from the ministry last month on private companies that had shut down in Maharashtra over the last five years, including sector-wise and district-wise data, particularly from industrial hubs such as Nashik, Pune and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.

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The ministry, while providing the figures, said the Companies Act, 2013, contains provisions for liquidation and dissolution and for removal of company names from the register of companies.

Waje said the ministry had not provided data on the number of workers who lost their livelihoods due to the closures. “When asked about the impact on the livelihood of how many workers, no answer was received from the ministry and no statistics were put forward by anyone,” he said.

Meanwhile, industry representatives said the closure figure for Pune appeared high but acknowledged that industrial units were shutting down or moving out of the district.

Abhay Bhor, president of the Forum of Small Scale Industries Association, said poor civic infrastructure was among the reasons. “In Pimpri-Chinchwad, proper amenities like roads, street lights, drainage and industrial waste collection facilities are lacking. While PCMC collects crores of rupees in tax revenues from us, it does not care to ensure proper infrastructure,” he said.

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Bhor said some industries had shifted to Chakan or other states such as Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh, where they received incentives that were not available in Maharashtra. Others shut down after facing financial difficulties during the Covid-19 pandemic or due to a lack of working capital and bank refinancing, he said.

Sandeep Belsare, president of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Small Scale Industries Association, said several units had moved out of the Pimpri-Chinchwad industrial belt over the past decade.

“Even basic facilities like industrial waste collection have not been provided by the local civic body. We have to deposit our waste all the way in Ranjangaon, which entails collection and transportation costs,” he said.

In Chakan, industries were also facing problems due to poor road conditions, Belsare said.

Manoj Dattatrye More

Manoj Dattatrye More is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, having been with the publication since 1992. Based in Pune, he is a veteran journalist with a 33-year career that spans editorial desk work, investigative reporting, and political analysis. Professional Legacy Experience: He spent his first 16 years on the editorial desk before moving into active field reporting. He has written over 20,000 stories, including more than 10,000 bylined articles. Impact Journalism: He is widely respected for "campaign-style" reporting that leads to tangible social change. Road Safety: His decade-long campaign regarding the dangerous state of the Pune-Mumbai highway in Khadki resulted in a ₹23 crore reconstruction project in 2006, which dramatically reduced fatalities. Environmental Protection: His reports against tree cutting on the Pune-Mumbai and Pune-Nashik highways saved approximately 2,000 trees. Anti-Corruption: During the COVID-19 pandemic, he exposed a scam where doctors were being asked to pay bribes for government jobs, resulting in them being hired without payment. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Manoj More's recent work focuses heavily on the shifting political landscape of Maharashtra and civic governance in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area: 1. Political Shifts & Alliances "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): A major report on the local self-government election results, detailing the NCP’s stronghold in Baramati, Indapur, and Lonavala. "BJP ropes in 13 ex-corporators, deals major blow to NCP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant political defection in Pimpri-Chinchwad as the BJP gears up for civic polls. "Congress opts for solo BMC run as alliance talks with Sena (UBT) collapse" (Dec 17, 2025): Covering the breakdown of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) talks for the Mumbai civic elections. "NCP(SP)'s Rahul Kalate, Sena (UBT) leader Sanjog Waghere set to join BJP" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing high-profile party-hopping ahead of the municipal elections. 2. Civic & Administrative Accountability "PCMC draws ire for issuing tenders worth Rs 250 crore just before poll code" (Dec 17, 2025): An investigative piece on the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s last-minute spending spree before election restrictions. "93 killed in 76 accidents in five years: Bypass service roads in Pune remain undeveloped for 18 yrs" (Nov 16, 2025): A critical look at the long-delayed infrastructure projects contributing to fatalities on Pune’s bypass roads. 3. Social & Labor Issues "As state says TCS has laid off 376 employees: FITE flags figures, say nearly 2,500 were forced to quit" (Dec 11, 2025): Investigating conflicting reports regarding IT sector layoffs in Maharashtra. "Maharashtra govt move to 'downgrade' Aadhaar cards" (Nov 30, 2025): Reporting on the state’s decision to require additional documents alongside Aadhaar to combat identity misuse. Signature Beat Manoj More is the definitive voice on Pimpri-Chinchwad, an industrial hub he has covered for three decades. His reporting is characterized by its aggressive stance against local "gondaism" (thuggery) and a relentless focus on civic infrastructure—choked drains, garbage management, and public transport. X (Twitter): @manojmore91982 ... Read More

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