News / Author / Siddharth Gadkari

Siddharth Gadkari

Articles by Siddharth Gadkari

MSRDC revises Pune Ring Road alignment; saves ₹800 crore

The revision comes after residents of the large housing project comprising over 300 flats – a portion of which fell within the original alignment of Ring Road – demanded compensation of four times the cost of their units

To avoid legal and financial complications, MSRDC reworked the alignment to skirt the said residential area. Officials said that the revised route not only prevents displacement of residents but also eliminates a key hurdle delaying the project. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

Pune

Published on May 05, 2025 08:18 AM IST

BySiddharth Gadkari

Trial run for Pune’s Hinjewadi-Shivajinagar metro to begin in September

PMRDA officials said that while the trial runs may begin by September, regular passenger service will start from next year

According to officials, land acquisition, permits, and tender issues caused authorities to miss the original deadline of March 2025. (HT FILE)

Pune

Published on May 03, 2025 05:00 AM IST

BySiddharth Gadkari

PMRDA tightens rules on low bids to prevent poor road work

A senior official said the authority would continue to monitor the performance of contractors closely and evaluate technical as well as financial capacity during the bidding process

Mhase said the focus is not just on awarding contracts, but on delivering quality. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

Pune

Published on Apr 30, 2025 10:45 PM IST

BySiddharth Gadkari

Grass fire burns 7 power lines; outage hits Talwade, Dehugaon

Pune: Talwade grass fire damaged 7 power lines, affecting 4,500 consumers. Power restored to 1,800 within 2 hours; full restoration by 10pm.

Grass fire broke out in Talwade on Tuesday afternoon damaging seven power lines of MSETCL. ((PIC FOR REPRESENTATION))

Pune

Published on Apr 30, 2025 08:00 AM IST

BySiddharth Gadkari

PMC scrambles to relocate Kothrud garbage ramp for Pune Metro expansion

A senior official from the PMC solid waste department said, “We had started developing a new waste segregation centre on a 40 guntha plot at Bavdhan

We have already applied for permission, but no work can begin until it’s approved. (HT)

Pune

Published on Apr 30, 2025 07:22 AM IST

BySiddharth Gadkari

Rising heat sparks water crisis in pimpri-chinchwad; Over 1,800 complaints in two months

Between March 1 and April 28, the municipal corporation has received 1,810 water-related complaints through the ‘Sarathi’ helpline

Pimpri-Chinchwad has been receiving water on alternate days since November 2019 but residents claim that even this supply is often irregular, insufficient and low in pressure. (HT)

Pune

Published on Apr 30, 2025 07:18 AM IST

BySiddharth Gadkari

PMRDA to issue occupancy certificates for pre-2013 legal constructions

Before PMRDA was formed in 2015, people needed permission from the town planning department for construction

As per the Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices (MRTP) Act (Section 7.6) and Unified Development Control and Promotion Regulations (UDCPR) rules (Section 2.10), PMRDA can issue occupancy certificates. (REPRESENTATIVE IC)

Pune

Published on Apr 30, 2025 06:26 AM IST

BySiddharth Gadkari

CM’s 18-metre road mandate puts PMRDA’s town planning schemes under review

Fadnavis during his visit to the city on Sunday said that the future of Pune lies within the PMRDA limits. He hinted that instead of a development plan (DP)

The instruction has put six pending TP schemes under question. (HT)

Pune

Published on Apr 30, 2025 06:22 AM IST

BySiddharth Gadkari

Punekars to face penalties for misuse of water

Pune Municipal Corporation cracks down on drinking water misuse amid shortages, enforcing fines and potential disconnections for violators.

Pune

Published on Apr 29, 2025 07:08 AM IST

BySiddharth Gadkari

PCMC commissioner vows to continue work on RFD project despite protests

PCMC commissioner Shekhar Singh made it clear that RFD project would not be halted and work would continue as planned

Pune

Published on Apr 29, 2025 06:54 AM IST

BySiddharth Gadkari

Kolhapur first district in state to implement flood management plan

The Kolhapur district disaster management authority developed the plan in compliance with the Disaster Management Act, 2005

The plan is based on field surveys, technical assessments, and consultations with local departments. (HT)

Pune

Published on Apr 29, 2025 06:36 AM IST

BySiddharth Gadkari

Trial closure of Rajaram Bridge triggers traffic chaos on chaos , police to implement revised diversion plan

Following the chaos, traffic police reopened the bridge to regular traffic and announced that a revised traffic diversion plan will be implemented within a week

The sudden closure caused massive logjams, leaving commuters stranded for nearly four hours. (MAHENDRA KOLHE/ HT)

Pune

Published on Apr 29, 2025 05:50 AM IST

BySiddharth Gadkari

Confusion over flood prevention work in Pune’s newly merged villages

PMRDA has clarified that these villages now fall under PMC’s jurisdiction, so the responsibility lies with the civic body

This has created confusion over who will do the work and help citizens during the monsoon. (HT)

Pune

Published on Apr 28, 2025 06:42 AM IST

BySiddharth Gadkari

Traffic snarls at 50 locations in Pune due to ongoing civic works; contractors warned to finish projects by May 31

The areas affected by the projects are Ahmednagar Road, Sinhagad road, Katraj-Kondhwa Road, Baner-Balewadi and Hadapsar etc

A recent survey by the traffic police revealed that ongoing civic works, including road repairs, resurfacing, sewer line installations, and underground gas pipeline projects, have caused traffic congestion. (MAHENDRA KOLHE/ HT)

Pune

Published on Apr 28, 2025 06:32 AM IST

BySiddharth Gadkari

State committee to launch drone survey to identify BDP encroachments

A state government-appointed committee on Friday decided to carry out a drone survey to get a clear picture of encroachments on BDP areas

The reserved BDP land includes 124.45 hectares of government and 853.09 hectares of privately owned land. (FILE)

Pune

Published on Apr 27, 2025 07:42 AM IST

BySiddharth Gadkari

Pune civic body forms panel for Phule couple memorial expansion

Apart from forming a committee, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has also set up a special squad to survey properties spread over 5,310 square meters of land located between and around the Mahatma Phule Wada and Savitribai Phule Memorial

The Maharashtra government has cleared the proposal through an official notification issued on February 7, paving the way for the ambitious heritage project. (HT FILE)

Pune

Published on Apr 26, 2025 09:16 AM IST

BySiddharth Gadkari

Pune civic body begins monsoon preparedness, to act on 201 flood-prone spots

Rainwater drainage lines will be laid at 12 of these sites, while work across all 201 locations is expected to be completed by the end of May

Among the various wards, Hadapsar-Mundhwa tops the list with 18 waterlogging spots, followed by Wanowrie with 14 and Bibwewadi with 13 spots. Kondhwa-Yewalewadi has 12 identified locations, while Kasba-Vishrambaugwada has 10. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

Pune

Published on Apr 24, 2025 06:56 AM IST

BySiddharth Gadkari

Pune civic body scraps ₹200 cr tenders for flood protection walls

The project was proposed in the aftermath of the September 25, 2019 cloudburst that caused widespread flooding in Pune. At the time, the Ambil Odha overflowed, breaching compound walls and inundating residential areas, leading to the deaths of more than 20 people

The PMC issued tenders on July 29, 2024 with bids invited until August 23. The tenders attracted bids 15 to 20% below the estimated cost, raising hopes for cost-effective execution. However, objections from a few MLAs over alleged procedural lapses and low rates delayed the process, eventually leading to the cancellation. (HT FILE)

Pune

Published on Apr 24, 2025 06:54 AM IST

BySiddharth Gadkari

Power outage hits Parvati, Kothrud after snag in Jejuri-Kondhwa line

Meanwhile, Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) resorted to back-feeding power from alternative substations to minimise the impact of the outage

Officials have not confirmed the exact timeline for complete restoration, but efforts were underway late at night to normalise the situation as soon as possible. (REPRESENTATIVE PIC)

Pune

Published on Apr 24, 2025 06:40 AM IST

BySiddharth Gadkari

Pune Metro commences work on PCMC to Bhakti- Shakti route

According to Maharashtra Metrorail Corporation Limited (Maha-Metro), the PCMC–Bhakti-Shakti stretch will comprise 151 piers and 1,337 segments

On Tuesday, work commenced on laying 12 segments between piers 453 and 454, with four segments already placed. (HT)

Pune

Published on Apr 24, 2025 06:20 AM IST

BySiddharth Gadkari

Five years later, plan to use Mulshi Dam water for Pune remains on paper

After five years of promises made by leaders across political parties, proposal to bring water from Mulshi Dam to meet Pune’s growing needs continues to remain on paper

Pune

Published on Apr 23, 2025 08:20 AM IST

BySiddharth Gadkari

State govt clears ₹6,499-cr Talegaon-Chakan-Shikrapur highway

The ambitious ₹6,499.22 crore project will include the construction of a four-lane elevated road and a four-lane at-grade road from Talegaon to Chakan, and a six-lane road from Chakan to Shikrapur

It is one of the major projects to ease traffic on the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) corridor of Talegaon, Chakan and Shikrapur belt. (REPRESENTATIVE PIC)

Pune

Published on Apr 23, 2025 06:12 AM IST

BySiddharth Gadkari

Pune Metro crosses 1-lakh milestone in smartcard sales

There are three types of Pune Metro cards, including one Pune card, a student pass card, and a non-KYC card

Work on the expansion of Phase 1 is also progressing, with construction underway for the extended route. (HT)

Pune

Published on Apr 23, 2025 06:02 AM IST

BySiddharth Gadkari

City’s longest flyover set to open to public soon

Though construction of the flyover was completed by the end of March, installation of streetlights and signage is underway

Delays in scheduling a formal inauguration had triggered criticism from citizens, who alleged that political scheduling was holding up the much-needed infrastructure. (HT)

Pune

Published on Apr 23, 2025 05:54 AM IST

BySiddharth Gadkari

Congress-NCP played part in 26/11 attack, alleges BJP’s Madhav Bhandari

Bhandari claimed that a high-level meeting was held on June 30, 2008, at the Mantralaya, chaired by the then chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh

He said when he raised these questions at the time, the then Home Minister R R Patil had admitted that there was an input about a possible strike on October 26, 2008. (REPRESENTATIVE PIC)

Pune

Published on Apr 22, 2025 09:06 AM IST

BySiddharth Gadkari

Sharad Pawar, Ajit Pawar share stage again; talk of merging parties abuzz

The meeting, held at the Sugar Commissionerate at Shivajinagar in Pune, lasted over an hour and a half and was attended by officials from the Vasantdada Sugar Institute

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Ajit Pawar said topics such as leveraging AI to boost farm productivity, improve soil fertility, and reduce the use of chemical fertilisers were discussed at the meeting. (FILE)

Pune

Published on Apr 22, 2025 09:00 AM IST

BySiddharth Gadkari

PMC to spend ₹15 crore on road repairs

Aniruddha Pawaskar, head of PMC’s Road Department, informed that tenders for the work will be floated in the coming days

The city has witnessed a surge in complaints over road conditions post-monsoon in recent years. (REPRESENTATIVE PIC)

Pune

Published on Apr 21, 2025 07:14 AM IST

BySiddharth Gadkari

Commuters face daily inconvenience as Khadki & Range Hill metro stations still incomplete

While the Pimpri to Swargate metro line has been fully operational since September 24, 2024, it continues to skip both the Khadki and Range Hill stations as they are not yet opened to the public

As a result, passengers are forced to travel directly from Shivajinagar to Bopodi without a halt in between. (HT)

Pune

Published on Apr 17, 2025 06:22 AM IST

BySiddharth Gadkari

Dangling cable injures retired police officer on bike

Patil filed a complaint at Swargate Police Station against the unidentified person responsible for installing the cable and officials for negligence

The incident took place around 11.15am when the duo was returning home from an eatery near Sarasbaug. (REPRESENTATIVE PIC)

Pune

Published on Apr 17, 2025 05:20 AM IST

BySiddharth Gadkari

Garbage fire damages power lines, 1.15 lakh consumers face outage

Fire broke out at dumped waste near Graf Centre on Alandi-Kalas Road at around 2.30am on Tuesday damaging power lines and disrupting electricity supply to 1.15 lakh consumers

Pune

Published on Apr 16, 2025 08:32 AM IST

BySiddharth Gadkari

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Siddharth Gadkari

The revision comes after residents of the large housing project comprising over 300 flats – a portion of which fell within the original alignment of Ring Road – demanded compensation of four times the cost of their units

PMRDA officials said that while the trial runs may begin by September, regular passenger service will start from next year

A senior official said the authority would continue to monitor the performance of contractors closely and evaluate technical as well as financial capacity during the bidding process

Pune: Talwade grass fire damaged 7 power lines, affecting 4,500 consumers. Power restored to 1,800 within 2 hours; full restoration by 10pm.

A senior official from the PMC solid waste department said, “We had started developing a new waste segregation centre on a 40 guntha plot at Bavdhan

Between March 1 and April 28, the municipal corporation has received 1,810 water-related complaints through the ‘Sarathi’ helpline

Before PMRDA was formed in 2015, people needed permission from the town planning department for construction

Fadnavis during his visit to the city on Sunday said that the future of Pune lies within the PMRDA limits. He hinted that instead of a development plan (DP)

Pune Municipal Corporation cracks down on drinking water misuse amid shortages, enforcing fines and potential disconnections for violators.

PCMC commissioner Shekhar Singh made it clear that RFD project would not be halted and work would continue as planned

The Kolhapur district disaster management authority developed the plan in compliance with the Disaster Management Act, 2005

Following the chaos, traffic police reopened the bridge to regular traffic and announced that a revised traffic diversion plan will be implemented within a week

PMRDA has clarified that these villages now fall under PMC’s jurisdiction, so the responsibility lies with the civic body

The areas affected by the projects are Ahmednagar Road, Sinhagad road, Katraj-Kondhwa Road, Baner-Balewadi and Hadapsar etc

A state government-appointed committee on Friday decided to carry out a drone survey to get a clear picture of encroachments on BDP areas

Apart from forming a committee, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has also set up a special squad to survey properties spread over 5,310 square meters of land located between and around the Mahatma Phule Wada and Savitribai Phule Memorial

Rainwater drainage lines will be laid at 12 of these sites, while work across all 201 locations is expected to be completed by the end of May

The project was proposed in the aftermath of the September 25, 2019 cloudburst that caused widespread flooding in Pune. At the time, the Ambil Odha overflowed, breaching compound walls and inundating residential areas, leading to the deaths of more than 20 people

Meanwhile, Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) resorted to back-feeding power from alternative substations to minimise the impact of the outage

According to Maharashtra Metrorail Corporation Limited (Maha-Metro), the PCMC–Bhakti-Shakti stretch will comprise 151 piers and 1,337 segments

After five years of promises made by leaders across political parties, proposal to bring water from Mulshi Dam to meet Pune’s growing needs continues to remain on paper

The ambitious ₹6,499.22 crore project will include the construction of a four-lane elevated road and a four-lane at-grade road from Talegaon to Chakan, and a six-lane road from Chakan to Shikrapur

There are three types of Pune Metro cards, including one Pune card, a student pass card, and a non-KYC card

Though construction of the flyover was completed by the end of March, installation of streetlights and signage is underway

Bhandari claimed that a high-level meeting was held on June 30, 2008, at the Mantralaya, chaired by the then chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh

The meeting, held at the Sugar Commissionerate at Shivajinagar in Pune, lasted over an hour and a half and was attended by officials from the Vasantdada Sugar Institute

Aniruddha Pawaskar, head of PMC’s Road Department, informed that tenders for the work will be floated in the coming days

While the Pimpri to Swargate metro line has been fully operational since September 24, 2024, it continues to skip both the Khadki and Range Hill stations as they are not yet opened to the public

Patil filed a complaint at Swargate Police Station against the unidentified person responsible for installing the cable and officials for negligence

Fire broke out at dumped waste near Graf Centre on Alandi-Kalas Road at around 2.30am on Tuesday damaging power lines and disrupting electricity supply to 1.15 lakh consumers

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