Pune’s developmental trajectory, pitting people-centric urbanism against state-backed mega-projects. Following an inspection of the gridlocked site, MP Supriya Sule issued a public call for greater administrative accountability, urging a return to weekly project reviews to address the mounting civic paralysis that is undermining the city’s sustainability and liveability goals.
The half-finished bridge, meant to ease traffic on the crucial Mumbai-Bengaluru bypass, now stands as a monument to inter-agency friction, trapping commuters in a daily cycle of congestion and worsening local air quality. This administrative inertia, which Sule attributes to a lack of cooperation on land acquisition, inflicts a direct environmental and economic cost on citizens. It highlights a critical disconnect in a city that aspires to be smart and sustainable, yet struggles with executing fundamental infrastructure designed to support cleaner, more efficient mobility.
This specific instance of urban mismanagement feeds into a broader critique of the state’s fiscal priorities. Sule has vocally questioned the wisdom of securing an Rs 86,000 crore loan for the Nagpur-Goa Shaktipeeth Expressway while essential urban projects falter and core social sectors face financial strain. This raises a fundamental question for Pune’s future: should vast public funds finance high-carbon transport corridors, or should they be invested in creating a more equitable and eco-friendly urban fabric with robust public transport and green community spaces?
The neglect is further evident in the unresolved issues plaguing the Hinjewadi IT park, a hub employing six lakh people. The lack of serious engagement to solve its chronic infrastructural problems threatens not only the well-being of its workforce but also Pune’s standing as a global economic centre. For a city at a crossroads, the path forward demands a clear choice—a commitment to holistic, sustainable development that serves its citizens, rather than a continued focus on grandiose projects that leave the city and its people behind.
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