Pune: The IT hub of Hinjewadi is often referred to as fast developing, but the only thing that seems to be growing here are civic problems.
To work around this blockade, several residents, housing society federations and local and national groups came together and staged a massive protest on Sept 6 this year under the banner of the ‘Hinjewadi-Maan-Marunji-Mahalunge Smart IT City Sankalp Morcha’. As momentum grew, two days prior to the rally on Sept 4, deputy chief minister Sunetra Pawar even announced the formation of a dedicated task force for Hinjewadi under district collector Jitendra Dudi to boost accountability. As of mid-Oct, Dudi has been holding weekly meetings with residents and officials involved in the upkeep of the 2,800-acre Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park, India’s largest IT-led business park. For example, the collector had asked all potholes to be filled by Sept 30. This was not done and a new deadline of Oct 8 was set. There have been five meetings as of Oct 12 along with residents, and deadlines for multiple items were decided: collection of waste, service-road asphalting, removal of encroachment from nullahs, and identifying suitable land and submitting a proposal to build a transit hub. We want nothing less than our neighbourhoods to be transformed into a Smart City in the next 12-18 months, ensuring that the 27km last-mile road connectivity project, especially for Metro, is delivered before the onset of monsoon in June 2027. Walking the walk A few weeks into the new arrangement, on Oct 2, more than 10 IT professionals embarked on an 8km walk from Wakad to Hinjewadi Phase 3 to take stock of how their neighbourhood fared on a scale of cleanliness, upkeep of basic infrastructure and ability to easily navigate streets on foot.
Because of a pothole,” the IT professional added, officials don’t take it seriously and we have warned them that we will file an FIR against the official concerned if an accident or death happens. It was also announced around the same time that Pune Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (PMRDA) has prepared a Rs426 crore development plan to improve basic infrastructure in Hinjewadi.
Meetings and follow-ups with authorities have not delivered results, citizens said. Ashish Mrig, a core team member of Smart IT City Sankalp, said, “After the protest, the task force became operational and we have had weekly review meetings with all officials. This is as per a commitment from the collector’s office,” Mrig said. The results were not great, said Smart IT City Sankalp core team member Raman Patil. Mud and silt is accumulated near kerbsides, a big accident-risk for two-wheelers,” said the sales professional.
For years, Hinjewadi and its neighbouring localities — Wakad, Maan, Marunji and Mahalunge — have battled the same crises of vehicular congestion, choke points, pothole-riddled roads, defunct traffic signals and poor traffic management. It is also a classic case of too many cooks. Bits and pieces of Hinjewadi fall under the authority of the PMRDA, MIDC, NHAI, PWD, PCMC and various gram panchayats, making it an ideal scapegoat for passing the buck. Deadlines whooshing past Unfortunately, little has changed on the ground. it has also altered the paradigm While the task force has somewhat streamlined redressal by putting officials of various agencies in one WhatsApp group for faster communication. From simply participatory governance, citizens are now left to micromanage, constantly pushing for results and send timely reminders to get even the most basic work done. Everything from budgets and timelines to deadlines is discussed. We are closely monitoring deadlines and work done. “But we are not hitting short-term deadlines. in some cases, the group is waiting for confirmation of completed work While some tasks failed to meet the deadline. “We will continue to maintain pressure to get what we deserve as loyal taxpayers. “We saw almost no footpaths. Wherever one was present, it was encroached upon by garbage, debris, garden waste or a shop. The biggest encroachers were MSEDCL DP boxes, present almost every 500m. Footpaths are not levelled, making navigation difficult.
Task force on the job A ray of hope for residents and employees remains the task force, which meets every Friday at 4pm since it was launched on Sept 4. These interventions can transform Hinjewadi into an economically vibrant and people-centric realm — Prasanna Desai | Architect & urban designer You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Pune | Silver Rate in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune | Petrol Price in Pune | Diesel Price in Pune | CNG Price in Pune | LPG Price in Pune Stay updated with the latest Pune news.
A review of how much work has been accomplished on the ground needs to be conducted by officials under whose jurisdiction an issue falls, according to the Sankalp team. “In the absence of their proactiveness, we have to step in,” said Mane, adding, “The group with all officials on it is a boon as it allows for immediate accountability and no passing the buck. This approach is probably what will work best,” Mane told TOI. Mrig said, “A few of us are voluntarily working on building a project planning and management tool, which will digitise a lot of backend processes. That is where the idea of an online portal emerged. ” “Our goal is to transform our neighbourhood as per global standards and we will not stop till we achieve this. I am also supporting officials in resources they need — Jitendra Dudi | Pune district collector Expert Says Hinjewadi is more than an economic hub.
One walk around the area and you instantly understand how poor the upkeep is. There are piles of garbage and garden waste next to big IT companies and five-star hotels. As residents, our job has become to constantly follow up with officials, remind them of their job and ensure deadlines are met to the best of our ability. We are doing what they should be doing. The meetings, chaired by the collector, are attended by residents and officials from PMRDA, Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC), National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), public works department (PWD), and the Hinjewadi, Maan, Marunji and Mahalunge gram panchayats. “At the meetings, the collector is focusing on every issue we raise with the relevant officials and assigning deadlines after taking the scope of work into consideration, which is a big relief. It gives us a definite timeline and saves us the time and energy used in running from pillar to post for every matter. No agency is allowed to sit on an issue complaining about lack of funds or resources. The collector either provides a solution or asks the official to involve their bosses and get the work done. Going above and beyond In addition to spending their holiday reviewing civic works for the benefit of the larger community, the team of software professionals is also harnessing vocational skills — building an online platform to provide tools that help authorities streamline and track progress of projects, with transparency at the core of this effort. It can be used by authorities as a systemic way to check progress on various projects. We are currently having to push officials a lot to even get basic work done. This enthusiasm may last for the first two or three months, but it cannot be done endlessly. We still have to run the idea of the portal through the collector, but it is our way to boost the momentum of accountability and collective work that is building. As citizens who live or work here, we are constantly thinking about how our issues can be fixed. But is it our job? On the one hand, we talk about building Smart Cities, but on the other, we fall desperately short of maintaining what already exists,” he added. Official Speak Hinjewadi runs on multi-agency coordination. It has not been up to the mark till now, so we are streamlining it via the task force. It will take time, but I am positive it will happen. Hinjewadi has some chronic issues for decades. We are working on them, but to see effects may take a few months. We are also starting on the extended programme for Hinjewadi’s development by Dec. We meet with residents and all agencies weekly for citizens to voice issues and take updates, too. I know how to get work done. As Metro strengthens connectivity, seamless last-mile access through safe pedestrian pathways, shared autos, shuttle services, and cycling networks will make public transport accessible to all. Shaded, walkable streets can help reduce private vehicle use, congestion, pollution, and travel anxiety. Better lighting, underground infrastructure, effective stormwater management, and smooth road networks will enhance life. Download the TOI App.
Another major issue observed was waste dumping on empty plots, mud accumulation on kerbsides and debris on footpaths,” said Mane, who is also Maharashtra president of the Forum for IT Employees (FITE). Poor maintenance of bus stops and non-functioning signals add to daily chaos. “Visitors to the area might not mind waiting in traffic or navigating congested junctions, but daily users get frustrated. They not only go the wrong way but also succumb to road rage. This is the extended impact of infrastructure that does not cater to citizens,” he added. Pavanjeet Mane, another core-team member, highlighted that the walk was important to check ground realities for themselves. “We must be prepared during meetings with the collector and various officials. We sent photos to the official WhatsApp group as soon as the walk was over, covering choke points, narrow roads, missing footpaths and sidewalk encroachments.