Punes Urban Decay Municipal Neglect and Flawed Planning Undermine Liveability
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has created a dedicated ‘War Room’ to monitor and fast-track over 30 high-priority infrastructure projects across the city. The initiative is being led by PMC Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram, who will directly oversee the War Room and hold officials accountable for timely progress. This decision comes amid growing criticism over repeated delays and cost escalations across several projects.
Among the major initiatives under review are the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)-funded water supply scheme, the Pune riverfront development, equitable water distribution efforts, the Katraj-Kondhwa and Shivne-Kharadi road widening projects, and multiple flyover constructions. These projects, many of which are funded through Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS), have suffered from chronic delays despite having financial backing. To address this, the War Room will conduct detailed performance reviews every 15 days. PMC has appointed special deputy commissioners to supervise each project cluster. These officers are required to host internal review meetings and submit progress reports to ensure transparency and coordination between departments.
Commissioner Ram recently chaired a comprehensive meeting with all concerned departments, stressing that both speed and quality of execution are non-negotiable. He instructed department heads to identify and resolve project bottlenecks with urgency. Citizens, along with state and central government agencies, have criticized the PMC’s track record on infrastructure execution. Missed deadlines have led to severe public inconvenience through increased traffic congestion, prolonged civic disruptions, and inflated project costs.
The new War Room is expected to introduce centralized oversight, improve decision-making, and restore public trust in the city’s administrative capability by finally delivering on long-promised urban upgrades.
