In her second attack on Metro and other big development projects, Baramati MP Supriya Sule on Sunday once again called for a halt to all development in Pune for next six months. “For next six months, we should put a full stop on development. We should not construct a single building.we should try to work on the lack of basic amenities, which if we understand properly, we can plan better and carry out integrated development,” Sule said at an event at Indraprasth Society on Satara Road in Pune on Sunday. “Who is happy in Pune? If you ask a citizen to go to Magarpatta, he will baulk at the thought as it takes two hours to reach Magarpatta due to traffic congestion,'' she said. Talking about the Metro project, Sule said, “Instead of focusing on such costly projects, providing basic amenities should be our top priority. I am in favour of development. I am a product of urbanisation..I have studied abroad and have visited foreign countries several times but my roots are connected to my village of Katewadi.Big projects like Metro involve huge expenditure. Instead of spending money on such projects, we should focus on tackling the growing water shortage, the rising pollution, the state of roads and the mountains of garbage,'' she said. Sule said she was not trying to scare Punekars but the city would face a big challenge in terms of water in the coming months. “I don't know if at all a plan is being prepared to tackle the water crisis or not.As a people’s representative, I am raising this issue on all platforms.I don't know what the government is doing on this front,'' she said. Targeting smart city projects, Sule asked, ''Which projects in the city have become smart in the last 10 years.Tell me five such projects.The government promised 24 x 7 water. What happened to the promise ? I live in Pune, I know the water situation. In whichever society I visit, they ask me to get a water tanker since I am an MP. Has there been any change in our lives with the smart city projects ? Pollution has risen, garbage problem has escalated, inflation is growing..People are facing problems on all fronts.'' Sule said urbanisation was a recipe for disaster if it is not planned properly. “Urbanisation is a good opportunity which is what many people say.It is a good opportunity if we plan it properly, otherwise it is a recipe for disaster,'' Sule said while expressing her doubts over the re-development projects. “Re-development will only create problems rather than solving them,” she said. "Urbanisation is a phenomenon which is here to stay, we cannot rule it out. But we need to plan appropriately so that we provide adequate water, take care of mounting garbage, roads and tackle pollution,'' she added.
