Hinjawadi, Pune’s pivotal IT hub, as residents intensify calls for its integration into the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC). Decades of fragmented governance have led to deteriorating infrastructure, including broken roads and poor drainage, challenging the region’s sustainable growth. This demand highlights critical urban planning deficiencies and the urgent need for unified civic management to foster an equitable and eco-friendly metropolitan future.
Over the past two decades, Hinjawadi has undergone a dramatic transformation, evolving from a cluster of rural villages into a dynamic economic engine for Pune, primarily driven by the establishment of the Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park. This rapid urbanisation has attracted thousands of residents and professionals, creating a vibrant, yet increasingly strained, urban ecosystem. However, the civic infrastructure has failed to keep pace with this explosive growth, leading to a stark disparity between its economic contribution and the quality of life for its inhabitants. The current administrative fragmentation, involving multiple agencies such as the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC), Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA), Public Works Department (PWD), and various Gram Panchayats, has resulted in a critical lack of coordination and stalled development initiatives.
The consequences of this fragmented governance are palpable in the daily lives of Hinjawadi’s residents. The area is grappling with severe traffic congestion, exacerbated by ongoing metro construction, and a rapidly deteriorating road network. Essential utilities, including water supply and waste management, are unreliable, while the absence of sufficient public transport options further burdens commuters. Frequent flooding during monsoons and environmental degradation from unchecked construction activities underscore the urgent need for a cohesive and accountable civic body. These issues not only diminish the quality of life but also impede the region’s progress towards becoming a truly sustainable and zero net carbon urban centre, as inefficient infrastructure directly contributes to higher emissions and resource wastage.
Historically, PCMC has demonstrated a capacity for strategic expansion, incorporating numerous villages into its jurisdiction since its establishment in 1982. Areas like Pimple Saudagar, Pimple Gurav, and Wakad were successfully integrated, followed by a significant expansion in 1997 and the inclusion of Tathawade in 2009. However, despite these precedents and a formal resolution by PCMC in 2015 to include Hinjawadi and six other surrounding villages (Maan, Gahunje, Jambe, Marunji, Nere, and Sangawade), concrete action has remained elusive for over a decade. This inertia stands in stark contrast to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), which has notably expanded its jurisdiction by adding 23 villages in 2021 and 17 in 2017, highlighting a disparity in urban planning responsiveness between the two civic bodies.
The protracted delay in Hinjawadi’s inclusion is attributed to a complex interplay of bureaucratic hurdles, political indecision, and localised opposition. Concerns among some villagers primarily revolve around the potential for a sharp increase in property taxes, a fear compounded by past experiences of delayed resolution of civic problems in previously merged areas like Wakad and Mhalunge. These groups advocate for the creation of a separate municipal council as an alternative, arguing for greater administrative autonomy. This resistance, coupled with criticisms regarding PCMC’s existing governance challenges within its current limits, adds layers of complexity to the merger proposal.
Despite the opposition, public and political pressure for the merger continues to mount. Residents, including IT professionals, express growing frustration over the persistent civic issues that disrupt daily life and hinder the region’s potential. Political figures, including Chinchwad MLA Shankar Jagtap and Maval MLA Shrirang Barne, have publicly supported the demand, promising to raise the issue at the state level. The recognition that Hinjawadi’s integration would benefit not only its residents but also the wider Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad populace, who commute daily to the IT hub, underscores the imperative for a unified governance structure. As Dnyanendra Hulsure, President of the Hinjawadi-Maan Employees and Residents Trust (HEART), articulates, the need for a single, efficient administrative body is paramount to address the myriad of civic challenges.
The proposal to incorporate these seven villages into PCMC has been formally submitted to the Maharashtra state government, with a final decision still pending. This ongoing administrative limbo leaves Hinjawadi caught between explosive growth and deteriorating infrastructure, underscoring a critical juncture for urban planning in the region. A decisive resolution is essential to ensure that Hinjawadi can fully realise its potential as a sustainable, equitable, and well-managed urban centre, providing its residents with the quality of life commensurate with its economic significance. The outcome will set a precedent for how rapidly urbanising areas in India manage growth while upholding principles of environmental stewardship and social equity.
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