Chakan struggles with weak infrastructure despite promises of better development plans

Chakan’s industrial zone near Pune is now grappling with infrastructural decay that threatens its future as a leading investment destination.

Industry leaders have raised red flags over crumbling roads, erratic power supply, lack of waste management systems, and poor social amenities — a toxic mix that has not only hindered manufacturing output but has also dissuaded residential development in and around the region. Experts representing the Federation of Chakan Industries said the area’s promise as a thriving economic zone is fading due to years of underinvestment in basic civic services. Chakan, home to a range of automotive, logistics, and allied manufacturing units, has seen slowed productivity as industrial workers are increasingly forced to commute from neighbouring urban centres such as Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad. This daily influx has added to the already burdened transport network and triggered cascading socio-environmental impacts in the city suburbs.

The current state of roads within and approaching the industrial cluster is a major source of concern. Poor surface quality, lack of routine maintenance, and the absence of adequate lighting and signage have made daily transport hazardous for both freight and personnel. Unplanned parking along access roads has further obstructed movement, diminishing logistics efficiency and raising safety concerns. Energy supply is another critical pain point. Repeated power outages have forced manufacturing units to rely heavily on diesel generators, pushing up operating costs and carbon emissions, thereby undermining the sustainability goals of the region and the industries operating within it.

Officials have proposed a set of remedial measures including upgraded road infrastructure connecting the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) zones, a new waste-to-energy processing unit, and a modern primary health centre. A site for the waste plant has reportedly been identified on village land, which, officials claim, can generate biogas revenue while offering a sustainable waste disposal solution for industries and nearby settlements. The Pimpri-Chinchwad police commissionerate has also issued directives for companies to deploy high-definition surveillance systems and manage employee parking within premises to prevent congestion and bolster safety on public roads. These steps, while welcome, are yet to translate into on-ground improvements, according to multiple stakeholders.

Despite these announcements, industry voices remain cautious. Representatives of the industrial federation pointed out that similar promises have been made in the past with little follow-through. Delays in implementing key projects — be it road widening, stormwater drains, or public transit integration — have left investors and residents disillusioned. The lack of social infrastructure, including healthcare and education facilities, has also curtailed Chakan’s development into a self-sustaining township. With no major hospitals or schools within close proximity, workers and their families continue to live in distant areas, depriving the region of community integration and local economic spin-offs.

Experts in urban infrastructure stress that unless there is a radical shift in policy implementation and inter-agency coordination, Chakan may lose its competitiveness to other emerging industrial corridors, both within Maharashtra and beyond. While Chakan remains strategically located along the Pune-Nashik industrial belt and enjoys proximity to the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, its promise can only be realised through urgent investment in sustainable and resilient infrastructure. Officials must adopt a holistic planning approach that integrates green mobility, inclusive housing, renewable energy, and robust public health systems to reclaim Chakan’s lost momentum.

Chakan’s plight stands as a cautionary tale — a once-thriving growth node now throttled by bureaucratic inertia and fragmented planning. If lessons are to be learned, then Chakan should be a turning point for how India’s industrial clusters are envisioned and supported. The future of regional economic hubs depends not only on attracting capital but also on creating ecosystems where both industry and communities can thrive in tandem.

Chakan struggles with weak infrastructure despite promises of better development plans