Unkept Promises: Pimpri MLA under fire, only 1 project implemented in 5 yrs; several key plans were non-starters, development hit

What is the sitting MLA up to?

In 2019 polls, NCP’s Anna Bansode was elected from Pimpri reserved. Bansode is known for his proximity to Ajit Pawar. In 2019 when rebel Ajit Pawar took an early morning oath along with Devendra Fadnavis, Bansode was the only NCP who stood by him. Till the rebellion came a cropper, Bansode was held up in Mumbai with his leader Ajit Pawar.

Since then, Bansode has grown closer to Ajit Pawar.

However, Bansode’s detractors and citizens of the Pimpri reserved seat seem to seek his replacement. And several aspirants, including the likes of former corporators Seema Savale of BJP, Sulakashna Shilwant from NCP (S-P) and Chandrakanta Sonkamble of RPI among others, have begun campaigning.

BJP wants him out

On Friday, BJP, the key partner in Mahayuti, struck a discordant note. At a meeting, BJP leaders demanded the Pimpri seat be alloted to the party. ”BJP always had good support in Pimpri. In 2024 polls, Pimpri gave a lead of 16,000 to Sena LS candidate Appa Barne. At yesterday’s meeting, all our leaders were unanimous that the party candidate be fielded from Pimpri,” said BJP MLC Amit Gorkhe who was earlier himself preparing for the seat.

BJP Pimpri-Chinchwad president Shankar Jagtap said, “I have heard party workers demanding that BJP contest the seat. I don’t know if a resolution was passed to this effect. About contesting Pimpri, whatever the party’s decision we will abide by it.”

Under fire for doing little

Detractors of Bansode accuse him of doing little for the constituency and always tagging behind Ajit Pawar without purpose. In 2019 polls, NCP had promised development for Pimpri, including implementing a slew of projects and easing commuter woes.

”Show me one big project implemented in Pimpri in five years?” asks former BJP corporator Seema Savale.

Be it riverfront development projects, rehabilitation of slums, building grounds, alleviating traffic issues, implementing power infra in Pradhikaran, re-development of gaothan areas, Bansode has been found wanting on all fronts and is under fire from citizens, activists and opposition.

”Pimpri has about 35 slums, but the constituency has seen little activity on this front, while slum rehabilitation projects have been taken up in Bhosari and Chinchwad,” Savale said.

Pramod Shinde, a teacher, said, “In Pimpri, no development has been seen in five years. We only heard about this project inaugurated in Bhosari, that one inaugurated in Chinchwad. But what about Pimpri? The sitting MLA here failed to bring any projects.”

Savale said areas like Akurdi, Kasarwadi and Phugewadi have several chawls. ”These goanthans are awaiting re-development. Chawl residents want to move in high rise buildings with better amenities. But in these five years, nothing happened. Chawls remain where they are,” she said.

In Pradhikaran, civic activists said power cuts are frequent and long as infrastructure has not been upgraded. ”People here have suffered long, because of old and outdated power infrastructure,” said Sathyan Iyer, a civic activist.

A BJP leader said, ”Besides civic projects, there are several central and state government projects so MLAs need to pursue them with the body concerned. The MLA needs to propose projects and submit them, and ensure his project gets approval and fund allocation, for which he needs to plan and spend time. But the Pimpri MLA was busy in politics and mostly inaccessible to citizens. Which is why we want a new MLA to represent Pimpri.”

Traffic nightmare

The Pune-Mumbai highway stretch passing through Pimpri seat has become a daily nightmare for citizens with no solution in sight. “Every evening, traffic is jammed for 5 hours, especially, the stretch from Nashik Phata to Phugewadi is the worst. The MLA has shown no urgency to resolve the issue in all seriousness,” said Jayant Kariya, a resident of Dapodi.

MLA tom-toms ‘1 big project’

Bansode, who could be contacted only after repeated calls, conceded he had implemented only one slum rehab project in Ganeshnagar, Pimpri. ”Nearly 200 families have been rehabilitated,” he said.

About other projects, Bansode said he had pursued the project of the new PCMC building in Chinchwad. ”Besides, under the urban street plan, the Nigdi to Dapodi road will undergo a complete revamp. We will also implement a Rs 800-crore project, and a similar one in Pradhikaran,” he said.

Bansode denied he had been found wanting. ”’Because of Covid, no new projects were implemented for a couple of years. There was political instability too. But let me tell you, several projects are awaiting state government nod. We are also pushing for slum rehabilitation in a big way,” he said.

The Bansode Camp said Pune Metro was the big achievement in the last five years, but his rivals said the project began in December 2016 and the MLA has little to do with it.