Pune: Voters of 11 merged villages make poor infra a poll issue

PUNE: Over three lakh residents of 11 villages, which were recently merged within the

Pune Municipal Corporation

(PMC), have raised their voices against the lack of infrastructure in their areas. They want the Lok Sabha poll candidates to take a note of their problems and address them after coming to power.

Though the 11 villages are part of the PMC now, they come under the Baramati and Shirur constituencies as per the delimitation map.

Areas like Phursungi, Uruli Devachi, Shivane, Dhayri, Bavdhan Budruk,

Ambegaon

Khurda and Ambegaon Budruk fall under Baramati constituency, while those like Lohegaon, Sadesatra Nali, Keshavnagar and Undri are part of the Shirur constituency.

Local residents said that even after the merger, the areas still lack access roads, drainage and sewage systems, public amenities like gardens, cultural centres and assured water supply.

M Prasad, a resident of Bavdhan, said many societies in the area spend huge sums on water tankers. “Water distribution and supply needs major upgradation. There has been erratic supply in the area. However, the core city areas receive daily water supply. We are still to receive a concrete plan from the PMC regarding development of amenities and better road network,” Prasad added.

Vijay Shinde, a resident of Keshavnagar, said haphazard construction has been rampant in the area. “We want our MP to take up the issues of curbing illegal construction, water supply and provision of better sanitation and garbage disposal facilities,” he said.

Meanwhile, PMC sources said a significant portion of the population resides in the merged villages and a huge increase is expected in the next few years. Newly-elected MPs will have to pay more attention to these areas, which are crucial vote banks.

A senior leader from the Nationalist Congress Party said sitting MP Supriya Sule has consistently raised the issues of merged villages with the PMC administration and demanded additional funds for the new areas.