News / Author / Abhay Khairnar

Abhay Khairnar

Articles by Abhay Khairnar

Pune riverfront development project awaits environment ministry’s nod

The Pune municipal corporation has resubmitted the Mula-Mutha riverfront development report to the central environment ministry for final clearance

A pictorial representation of the ambitious riverfront development project.(HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Aug 13, 2018 03:31 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

State drive to check exorbitant food and beverage prices at Pune multiplexes fails to file any violation

NP Udamale, assistant controller, said that the department is checking only packed food products sold at maximum retail price (MRP) rates. As per the law, the department cannot check items that are sold lose

Weight and measures department visited City Pride Kothrud, Amanora Mall and other multiplexes in the city.(HT FILE PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Aug 08, 2018 04:45 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

For encroaching on judge’s parking lot, Pune corporator, nephew made to apologise with folded hands

The security guard at PMC tried to convince the corporator’s nephew to not park the car in the reserved space. Ignoring the guard’s warning, he parked the car in the parking space reserved for the judge.

The police put a jammer on the corporator’s car.(HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Aug 04, 2018 05:13 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

Hinjewadi-Shivajinagar Metro: State to give 13.83 acres in Balewadi to top bidder as viability gap funding

Land will be given on lease for 35 years under a viability gap funding scheme. The firm can use it for commercial purposes

The decision was taken during the state cabinet meeting on Tuesday, where it was decided to give 13.83 acres government land to the operator who will win the bid.(Sanket Wankhade/HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Aug 01, 2018 03:50 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar, Pune

Pune civic body issues legal notice to Ecoman over bid rigging

PMC issued the notice to the Ecoman Enviro Solutions Pvt Ltd and pointed out how they had violated the contract with PMC and asked the latter as to why they should not end the contract between the two.

The nexus between PMC officials and contractors for rigging the bids was exposed in detail by Hindustan Times in a series of reports in October 2017.(HT FILE PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Jul 31, 2018 05:44 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

Pune’s underground metro work: Maha-Metro begins laying vertical shafts, eye 2021 deadline

The Maha-Metro has also floated tenders for carrying out the underground metro rail and is expecting to finalise the tenders by August. It is expected that the actual work of digging the tunnel would start on the ground by October or November, said Pramod Ahuja, executive director for underground metro rail, Pune.

Ahuja said the underground metro, which is a part of the Pimpri Chinchwad municipal corporation (PCMC) to Swargate corridor, will start from Range hills, or more specifically from Agriculture ground, and end at Swargate.(Rahul Raut/HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Jul 26, 2018 04:31 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar, Pune

Environment status report: Pune’s carbon footprint per person high due to large number of private vehicles

According to the Environment status report (ESR) for 2017-18, released by the Pune municipal corporation (PMC) on Wednesday, the ratio of carbon dioxide equivalent to population was 1.42 tonnes per person in 2012 and 1.64 tonnes CO2e per person in 2017.

Even the ratio of carbon monoxide (CO) and ozone (O3) pollutants is high in Pune, as per the ESR, when compared to that prescribed by the Central pollution control board.(HT FILE PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Jul 27, 2018 03:09 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar, Pune

PMC employees’ salaries won’t be rationalised, says CM Devendra Fadnavis

The PMC employees’ union had opposed the administration’s move and had condemned the state government’s instructions to revise the salary structure in an agitation on July 17.

cities

Updated on Jul 25, 2018 04:51 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar, Pune

Protect interests of Maharashtra students in admissions through NEET, says Raj Thackeray

He warned that his party will launch an agitation “in our own style” if it is found that medical colleges are giving priority to students from other states, instead of those from Maharashtra.

Raj Thackeray, chief, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena said his party would be forced to agitate if students from outside Maharashtra are given priority in admissions.(RAVINDRA JOSHI/HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Jul 19, 2018 03:56 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

Pune, Ahmednagar have walls stained in red

After an Ahmednagar head constable who was ordered to clean stained walls for chewing tobacco in court was suspended, HT takes a look at how clean government offices in the city are

In spite of being a government-run one, almost all the walls of Sassoon General Hospital are covered in stains.(SANKET WANKHADE/HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Jul 15, 2018 03:26 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar and Nadeem Inamdar

Department of defence issues height restrictions, now 4 FSI along Pune Metro corridors not possible

As per the defence department’s notification, a copy of which is with HT, high-rise buildings will not be allowed in Aundh, Baner, Karvenagar, Kothrud, Koregaon park, Warje, Kalyaninagar, Kharadi, Dhanori, Vimannagar, Lohegaon, Dhayari and Ahmednagar road areas.

The survey of India is already flooded with 200 applications and have now put a notice at their office stating that they will not entertain any proposal till August 31, 2018.(HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Jul 04, 2018 04:32 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar, Pune

Hinjewadi-Shivajinagar Metro route to be extended till Hadapsar: PMRDA

Commuters in Hadapsar sought facility; DMRC to prepare a detailed project report for revised route

The second corridor would also be carried out based on the public private partnership (PPP) model.(HT File Photo)

cities

Updated on Jul 03, 2018 04:54 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

Will Fadnavis protect Pune’s bio-diversity zone?

Tremendous pressure from politicians, land owners to allow construction on hills

Buildings have been constructed on hilltops of newly included villages within PMC limits. A view of Ambegaon Khurd.(RAVINDRA JOSHI/HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Jun 28, 2018 05:41 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

Pune’s guardian minister proposes 8 per cent TDR on biodiversity park land

BJP claims that the state will take a decision on whether to allow construction or just give transfer of development rights on the land

In August 2015, the government had issued a notification stating that no construction would be allowed in the BDP.(Ravindra Joshi/HT PHOTO)

cities

Published on Jun 27, 2018 04:38 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar, Pune

Plastic ban day 3: Pune’s Chitale, Kaka Halwai, Budhani participate in bandh

If plastic is not used food items lose their crispness, traders claim

Municipal officials conduct a check-up at a sweet mart in Nigdi on Monday.(HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Jun 27, 2018 03:05 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

Pune civic body enforces plastic ban, collects Rs 3.69 lakh on the very first day

The statewide ban on the use of plastic products began on Saturday with civic staff assisted by police personnel doing the rounds of shopping areas to enforce the ban.

Following the state government’s decision, the PMC undertook an awareness drive among the citizens to dissuade them from using plastic.(HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Jun 23, 2018 10:35 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

IAF vs PMC: Deputy mayor ‘negotiates’ drinking water for drainage clearance

PMC cut the water supply to the Air Force station on Tuesday evening after station authorities blocked a drainage line

Deputy mayor Siddharth Dhende (centre) with Indian Air Force station officials at the Air Force station in Lohegaon.(HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Jun 21, 2018 03:14 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

Pune’s Bhama Askhed dam: Work progresses cautiously as officials weary of erupting protests

A contractor, on condition of anonymity, said that villagers damage barricades erected along the road for safety at night.

Labours busy working on a new water pipeline at Bhama Askhed Dam near Khed in Pune.(RAHUL RAUT/HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Jun 19, 2018 04:53 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

Pune to get Hyperloop track, Virgin Hyperloop One to invest ₹3,000 crore, PMRDA to provide land

A 15-km-long demonstration track will be built from Gahunje cricket stadium to Wakad, says PMRDA

Representative Hyperloop station. Hyperloop is high-speed travelling in tubes, where a pod-like vehicle travels through a tube at a speed which is more than the usual airline speed.(HYPERLOOP)

cities

Updated on Jun 19, 2018 04:45 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar, Pune

No water for areas of east Pune from Bhama Askhed dam till July 2019

Farmer agitations, coupled with PMC’s inability to finish the ~300 crore water-supply project on time, had made the July 2017 deadline unachievable

The Rs 380.17-crore project, with 200 MLD (million litres per day) capacity, envisages supply of water from Bhama Askhed dam in Khed taluka, 48 km from Pune, to eastern Pune.(RAHUL RAUT/HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Jun 19, 2018 04:35 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

Pune Deputy mayor conducts surprise check, exposes civic body’s monsoon preparedness ‘claims’

Dhende, on Monday, paid a surprise visit to the nallah which runs from Dhanori to the Sathe biscuit factory, a distance of 10km. The regional ward officer and others were also present.

(Fourth from right) Siddharth Dende, deputy mayor, on Monday, paid a surprise visit to the nallah which runs from Dhanori to the Sathe biscuit factory, a distance of 10 km.(HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Jun 12, 2018 03:32 PM IST

ByAbhay Khairnar

PMRDA cracks whip on builders: realtors to pay ₹20,000 cess per flat to get water in Wagholi, other areas

PMRDA commissioner said that the fund will be utilised for setting up water system infrastructure in these areas. Many villages around Pune which are not part of Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal corporations are struggling with drinking water shortage.

Water Tankers seen supplying water to societies in Kharadi in Pune.(Shankar Narayan/HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Jun 07, 2018 04:41 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

RPI disinvites CM Fadnavis from state-level convention

After receiving negative feedback from workers, the RPI decided to keep the CM away from its state-level convention despite having invited him earlier.

The RPI’s new political flex at the Pune railway station, for the state-level convention, on Thursday.(SANKET WANKHADE/HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on May 25, 2018 02:54 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

HT initiative: Pune’s Zero Stone to be restored by PMC

The work is being undertaken by Arvind Shinde, senior Congressman and leader of the opposition in PMC, as a part of his ward development work.

Congress leader Arvind Shinde (2nd from left) along with Abhay Vaidya, resident editor HT Pune (L), Abhay Khairnar, senior journalist HT Pune (R) and Abhijit Kondhalkar, urban planner (2nd from right) at the Zero Stone near GPO on Thursday.(Pratham Gokhale/HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Apr 20, 2018 02:24 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar, Pune

HT Spotlight: How tanker ‘mafia’ controlling flow of water in Pune

Feeding off an ever-growing city’s ever-growing need for water, and the PMC’s inability to meet the rising exigency, a water-tanker mafia now controls the flow of a free natural resource

While the PMC supplies water to tankers at a nominal cost of <span class='webrupee'>₹</span>300 per tanker, housing societies are normally charged between <span class='webrupee'>₹</span>700 to <span class='webrupee'>₹</span>1,200 per tanker, depending on how far they are located from the filling station(RAVINDRA JOSHI/HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Apr 19, 2018 05:11 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar, Pune

PMC water department chief on how political pressure nullified drive to install GPS system on water tankers

The PMC has been receiving a number of complaints from the citizens against the water tanker operators, notably related to overcharging and inflated costs. Excerpts from water supply department’s VG Kulkarni interview with Abhay Khairnar on a number of related issues.

It is mandatory for all water tanker operators to fill clean and filtered water from the prescribed 10 tanker filling stations only.(HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Apr 19, 2018 02:59 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

Mayor assures development at 11 merged villages with a priority on water and drainage systems

The mayor called the meeting on Thursday with former sarpanches and elected representatives of these villages at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj auditorium at the PMC headquarters.

Mayor Mukta Tilak leads the panel of gram panchayat and PMC officials taking questions from the representatives of 11 villages merged within PMC limits.(HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Apr 06, 2018 04:06 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar, Pune

Is PMC hinting at privatisation of medical facilities?

Ideally, it is the responsibility of the civic chief to ensure adequate staff is available to handle the equipment before procuring them.

Deputy mayor Dr Siddharth Dhende.(HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Mar 30, 2018 05:05 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

Inadequate staff, idle machines put PMC-run hospitals in ICU

Despite adequate medical infrastructure, facilities remain underutilised due to lack of manpower, say health officials.

A 20-year-old pregnant woman died due to the absence of a medical officer at the Rajiv Gandhi Hospital at Yerawada, run by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), last week.(Shankar Narayan/HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Mar 30, 2018 04:59 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

Plastic ban: NGO to help civic body set up plastic bottle recycling machines across Pune

PMC standing committee chairman Yogesh Mulik said that the panel had given its nod for the proposal that plans to erect such projects at 50 locations across the city.

The foundation will raise the funds under the corporate social responsibility (CSR) for the project.(Getty Images)

cities

Updated on Mar 29, 2018 03:30 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

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Abhay Khairnar

The Pune municipal corporation has resubmitted the Mula-Mutha riverfront development report to the central environment ministry for final clearance

NP Udamale, assistant controller, said that the department is checking only packed food products sold at maximum retail price (MRP) rates. As per the law, the department cannot check items that are sold lose

The security guard at PMC tried to convince the corporator’s nephew to not park the car in the reserved space. Ignoring the guard’s warning, he parked the car in the parking space reserved for the judge.

Land will be given on lease for 35 years under a viability gap funding scheme. The firm can use it for commercial purposes

PMC issued the notice to the Ecoman Enviro Solutions Pvt Ltd and pointed out how they had violated the contract with PMC and asked the latter as to why they should not end the contract between the two.

According to the Environment status report (ESR) for 2017-18, released by the Pune municipal corporation (PMC) on Wednesday, the ratio of carbon dioxide equivalent to population was 1.42 tonnes per person in 2012 and 1.64 tonnes CO2e per person in 2017.

The PMC employees’ union had opposed the administration’s move and had condemned the state government’s instructions to revise the salary structure in an agitation on July 17.

He warned that his party will launch an agitation “in our own style” if it is found that medical colleges are giving priority to students from other states, instead of those from Maharashtra.

After an Ahmednagar head constable who was ordered to clean stained walls for chewing tobacco in court was suspended, HT takes a look at how clean government offices in the city are

As per the defence department’s notification, a copy of which is with HT, high-rise buildings will not be allowed in Aundh, Baner, Karvenagar, Kothrud, Koregaon park, Warje, Kalyaninagar, Kharadi, Dhanori, Vimannagar, Lohegaon, Dhayari and Ahmednagar road areas.

Commuters in Hadapsar sought facility; DMRC to prepare a detailed project report for revised route

Tremendous pressure from politicians, land owners to allow construction on hills

BJP claims that the state will take a decision on whether to allow construction or just give transfer of development rights on the land

If plastic is not used food items lose their crispness, traders claim

The statewide ban on the use of plastic products began on Saturday with civic staff assisted by police personnel doing the rounds of shopping areas to enforce the ban.

PMC cut the water supply to the Air Force station on Tuesday evening after station authorities blocked a drainage line

A contractor, on condition of anonymity, said that villagers damage barricades erected along the road for safety at night.

A 15-km-long demonstration track will be built from Gahunje cricket stadium to Wakad, says PMRDA

Farmer agitations, coupled with PMC’s inability to finish the ~300 crore water-supply project on time, had made the July 2017 deadline unachievable

Dhende, on Monday, paid a surprise visit to the nallah which runs from Dhanori to the Sathe biscuit factory, a distance of 10km. The regional ward officer and others were also present.

PMRDA commissioner said that the fund will be utilised for setting up water system infrastructure in these areas. Many villages around Pune which are not part of Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal corporations are struggling with drinking water shortage.

After receiving negative feedback from workers, the RPI decided to keep the CM away from its state-level convention despite having invited him earlier.

The work is being undertaken by Arvind Shinde, senior Congressman and leader of the opposition in PMC, as a part of his ward development work.

Feeding off an ever-growing city’s ever-growing need for water, and the PMC’s inability to meet the rising exigency, a water-tanker mafia now controls the flow of a free natural resource

The PMC has been receiving a number of complaints from the citizens against the water tanker operators, notably related to overcharging and inflated costs. Excerpts from water supply department’s VG Kulkarni interview with Abhay Khairnar on a number of related issues.

The mayor called the meeting on Thursday with former sarpanches and elected representatives of these villages at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj auditorium at the PMC headquarters.

Ideally, it is the responsibility of the civic chief to ensure adequate staff is available to handle the equipment before procuring them.

Despite adequate medical infrastructure, facilities remain underutilised due to lack of manpower, say health officials.

PMC standing committee chairman Yogesh Mulik said that the panel had given its nod for the proposal that plans to erect such projects at 50 locations across the city.

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