Pune | September 6, 2026
IT employees, local residents and civic groups marched through Pune’s Hinjawadi Rajiv Gandhi Information Technology Park on Sunday to protest deteriorating roads, traffic congestion, inadequate water supply and the lack of coordinated urban infrastructure in the Hinjawadi-Maan-Marunji area.
The peaceful protest, described by organisers as the “Smart IT City” silent march, began at the Infosys Circle and was scheduled to pass through Shivaji Chowk before concluding at Infosys Circle. The demonstration drew participation from IT employees, local farmers, resident welfare associations and housing federations. Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Aaditya Thackeray also joined the protest, according to the report.
Participants carried placards and raised demands related to roads, transport, water supply, traffic management and administrative coordination. Organisations taking part included the Resident Welfare Association Maan, the Hinjawadi-Maan-Marunji Infra Forum, the Forum for IT Employees, the Hinjawadi Employees and Residents Trust, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Co-operative Housing Federation and the Mulshi Co-operative Housing Federation.
Hinjawadi, Maan and Marunji have experienced rapid urbanisation and industrial expansion around the IT park. Residents and protest organisers said that the growth in population and employment had not been matched by improvements in roads, public transport, water supply and other civic services. The area is also divided among multiple government agencies, which organisers said had contributed to delays and a lack of coordination in infrastructure works.
The protest followed repeated representations to the government by IT employees and local residents, according to the report. Organisers said daily congestion affects large numbers of residents, IT workers and students in the corridor, while damaged roads and water-supply problems have become serious concerns. They called for time-bound action by the government.
The demands include resolving land-acquisition issues affecting road projects, starting the proposed Maan-Shivajinagar Metro service at the earliest, and holding a joint meeting of all relevant government agencies in Hinjawadi under the chief minister’s direction. Protesters also sought an independent municipal corporation for the Hinjawadi-Maan-Marunji area and monthly review meetings chaired by the district collector.
Other demands include measures to address congestion at the Wakad flyover, Bhumkar Chowk, Punawale and Tathawade underpasses; reserving two thousand million cubic feet of water from the Mulshi dam; doubling the strength of traffic police personnel; and conducting quarterly reviews under the chief minister’s chairmanship. The reported next steps are government consideration of these demands and the proposed review meetings on the area’s infrastructure and civic services.
