Pune’s civic projects stalled as model code of conduct comes into effect

With the election commission of India announcing the polling schedule for the 17th Lok Sabha elections on Sunday, March 10, ambitious projects undertaken by Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) will get delayed as the model code of conduct has come into effect.

Projects such as high capacity mass transit route (HCMTR), also known as the inner ring road, river rejuvenation and induction of 400 compressed natural gas (CNG) buses to Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Ltd’s (PMPML) fleet will be delayed as the administrative process for the same could not be completed before March 10.

The public representatives in the civic body were in an overdrive to clear projects before the imposition of model code of conduct, to showcase it as their achievements before the upcoming elections.

Mukta Tilak, Pune mayor, said, “We wanted to issue the work orders for the three important projects before the model code of conduct came into effect. However, delay in the administrative process proved to be a barrier for us.”

“Similarly, because we were keen on commencing the river rejuvenation project before the model code of conduct is implemented, we had sent all the details regarding the project to the environment ministry, however, as we did not receive clearances, the work will be done post elections,” said Tilak.

“While PMC was successful in issuing the work order for 125 electric buses before March 10, however, work orders for remaining 400 compressed natural gas buses could not be issued as the tender for these buses could not be issued before the announcement of the poll schedule,” said Tilak.

Siddharth Shirole, PMPML director said, “The decision was unlikely to be made on the process of induction of 400 compressed natural gas buses before the code of conduct came into effect. Therefore, the board of directors of PMPML will take a decision regarding the same only after May.”

Not only the PMC, but two important projects undertaken by the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) will also be delayed.

According to PMRDA officials, some developmental works of Mhalunge Maan town planning scheme, along with construction of houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana which is based on the public-private partnership model, will be delayed as the administrative process is still not over.

PMC, PCMC WORK ORDERS NOW ON COLLECTORS RADAR

Pune district collectorate has initiated the process of collecting information of pending projects and work orders both, from Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), on March 11, a day after polling schedule was announced.

It is customary for the municipal corporations to submit work orders and details of pending projects to the district collectorate as the model code of conduct comes into effect.

Naval Kishore Ram, Pune district collector, said, “We conducted a detailed meeting with all stake holders on Monday and have asked them to submit all the work orders and information related to pending projects to us within the next 72 hours.”

These are the norms that have to be followed and we will ensure that there are no violations in this process, assured Ram.