Pune: Inadequate Infrastructure and Traffic Woes Persist in Chakan Industrial Estate Despite High-Level Meetings

Pune: The ongoing issues of inadequate infrastructure and severe traffic congestion in the Chakan Industrial Estate (MIDC) remain unresolved, despite recent high-level meetings led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. While there were initial discussions aimed at addressing these problems, the lack of concrete action has left local industries and residents frustrated.

A high-level meeting was convened by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in Mumbai on July 31, following mounting pressure from Chakan residents and industries. They had threatened to shut down operations due to the persistent traffic congestion and other infrastructural shortcomings in the area. The meeting was expected to prompt immediate measures to alleviate these issues. However, apart from the removal of some encroachments in Chakan MIDC, no significant steps have been taken by the concerned authorities.

In the aftermath of the Deputy Chief Minister’s meeting, another meeting was held under the direction of the District Collector. The meeting included several key officials: Vrushali Sone, General Manager of the District Industries Centre; Sarang Sable, Divisional Officer of Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation; Milind Barbhai, Executive Engineer of the Public Works Department; Senior Police Inspector Pradeep Patil; Deputy Engineer of the National Highways Authority of India S.R. Joshi; and Dilip Batwal, Secretary of the Federation of Chakan Industries.

During this meeting, a range of issues affecting the Chakan MIDC were discussed. These included the establishment of garbage depots, the removal of encroachments from roads, the asphalting of previously encroached areas, filling potholes, addressing the problem of vehicles parked on the roadside, and the potential setup of a truck terminal.

Despite these discussions, many of the demands raised were outside the jurisdiction of the Industry Centre. Consequently, officials from the centre assured that they would communicate these issues to the relevant agencies, but no immediate actions were taken.

The meeting, therefore, resulted in little more than discussions, leaving many of the longstanding issues unresolved. The lack of decisive action has led to continued frustration among local businesses and residents. The District Collector, Suhas Diwase, is scheduled to hold another meeting on August 21 to revisit the matter.

“Following the District Collector’s instructions, a meeting of Chakan industries was held by the District Industry Centre,” said Vrushali Sone, General Manager of the District Industries Centre. “During the meeting, many issues in Chakan Industrial Estate were discussed. The District Collector will convene the next meeting on August 21,” she added.

Meanwhile, Dilip Batwal, Secretary of the Federation of Chakan Industries, expressed the need for more immediate action. “Encroachments have been removed at some places in Chakan Industrial Estate, but asphalting is needed at these sites. Additionally, many problems persist, and steps should be taken to resolve them without delay,” said Batwal.