Maharashtra Assembly Elections: Know your Pune candidates

Before Punekars head to the polling booths today, Team mid-day reveals a quick checklist of the most pertinent issues in each of the eight constituencies in Pune, and how candidates from five major parties intend to handle them

Hadapsar

Critical issues: Hadapsar has developed into a thriving IT hub in eastern Pune, but has its own share of problems such as rising crime rates, as well as delayed infrastructure projects and the resulting traffic congestion. Citizens in the constituency have also complained for years about the presence of garbage processing plants here, and the resulting stench and lack of hygiene.

Mahadev Babar
Sitting MLA-Shiv Sena

Garbage: I will ensure proper reprocessing of garbage, which currently gets piled up at the garbage depot.
Infrastructure and Traffic: I will resolve traffic congestion on priority basis, and complete the construction of overbridges.
Crime: Crime rate is increasing due to increasing urbanisation and growing number of slums in the area. I am pursuing this issue and will try to reduce the crime rate.

Chetan Tupe
NCP

Garbage: I will try to move the garbage depot out from Hadapsar and Phursungi village, which is also developing quickly. New garbage depots should not be created in this area.
Infrastructure and Traffic: I will try to bring the Metro in Hadapsar, which is planned in the second phase of the Pune Metro project.
Crime: I will install a CCTV network to reduce the increasing incidents of chain-snatching and molestation.

Pramod Bhangire
MNS

Garbage: I will resolve the garbage issue as per our blueprint. The garbage processing units should be outside city limits.
Infrastructure and Traffic: Hadapsar remains underdeveloped despite the fact that many new townships and industries are coming up here. I will complete long-pending overbridge projects.
Crime: As per our demand, the new deputy commissionerate office has been opened in the area. I will ensure adequate police patrolling in the constituency.

Yogesh Tilekar
BJP

Garbage: Besides shifting the existing garbage processing plants out of Hadapsar, at
least four such plants should be started in other parts of the city.
Infrastructure and Traffic: I’ll push for completion of delayed overbridges in Sayyad Nagar, Manjari and Ghorpadi. I will also build a water purification plant to ensure water distribution.
Crime: I will take up the issue of rising crime rates with the state government, and ensure additional manpower is sanctioned.

Chandrakant Shivarkar
Congress

Garbage: Cantonment’s garbage processing unit should be shifted to Cantonment limits, and similarly, plants processing garbage from other parts of the city should be moved to their respective areas.
Infrastructure and Traffic: Encroachments should be removed for proper implementation of public transport utilities to reduce traffic congestion on roads.
Crime: We have approached the police commissioner on this issue and will take strong measures to curb crime.

Shivajinagar

Critical issues: Shivajinagar is plagued by traffic congestion and other problems like garbage disposal, public sanitation and
increasingly cropping up of slums.

Vinayak Nimhan
Sitting MLA-Congress

Traffic: The BRTS has almost failed in this area. Awareness needs to be increased about the traffic rules, and more underpasses should be constructed.
Sanitation: The garbage issue needs to be handled in a proper way, and awareness should be created about ways to ensure cleanliness.
Slums: Slums in the area need to be regularised and need to be developed properly.

Milind Ekbote
Shiv Sena

Traffic: I will try to improve PMPML services, and ensure the completion of flyovers.
Sanitation: To maintain cleanliness, proper dustbins should be maintained and cleaned on time.
Slums: The slums need to be regularised, so that further problems can be solved.

Vijay Kale
BJP

Traffic: Flyovers must be made in the area; roads need to be made as per the development plans. The lanes should be maintained properly.
Sanitation: We will create public awareness for cleanliness and ensure public participation.
Slums: The slums in the area need to be regularised

Raju Pawar
MNS

Traffic: The heavy-vehicle traffic needs to be reduced, besides ensuring effective regulation of other vehicles as well.
Sanitation: Garbage containers and dustbins should be placed where needed.
Slums: Slums in the area have to be regularised.

Anil Bhosale
NCP

Traffic: Road widening and construction of flyovers needs to be done in some areas.
Sanitation: Removing garbage containers from unwanted areas and putting dustbins wherever needed will be our priority.
Slums: Slum rehabilitation will help to solve small issues and disputes here, and will also help the overall development of the area.

Kothrud

Critical issues: Apart from traffic congestion, Kothrud constituents also have questions about issues such as the 4 Floor Space Index (FSI) on the proposed metro rail route, and construction in the bio-diversity park (BDP) reservation on the fringes of Pune.

Metro: Will fast track the pending issue of 4 FSI, and will complete the Metro project as soon as possible.
BDP: Will keep the BDP zone as it is.
Traffic: We will widen roads to avoid traffic problems. I will also emphasise on public transport.
- Chandrakant Mokate. Sitting MLA-Shiv Sena

Metro: We have opposed 4 FSI along the Metro rail, as Kothrud has no capacity to bear the increased population density.
BDP: To secure hills, we will ensure no constructions in the bio-diversity zone in hilly areas.
Traffic: We lack an alternative route to Karve Road. I will concentrate on completing proposed new routes between Paud Road and Balbharti, and from Warje to Kharadi.
- Medha Kulkarni BJP

Metro: We have not yet fixed our stand on the 4 FSI issue.
BDP: BDP reservations should be implemented on all hills, as these are the breathing spaces of the city.
Traffic: I will stress on strengthening public transport. We will take public opinion on the proposed road between Balbharti and Paud Road.
- Kishor Shinde MNS

Metro: I support 4 FSI and will solve the issue with the help of experts.
BDP: We are against encroachment in the BDP zone, but we should consider the plight of residents who were misguided and have already built their homes there.
Traffic: Will build a flyover from Deccan to Karve Road and also look after Balbharti- Paud Road bypass.
- Umesh Kandhare Congress

Metro: NCP supports allotting 4 FSI for the Metro, as without making this provision, Metro would not be feasible.
BDP: We, as a party, have already opposed BDP reservations on hills, and if our party forms the government, we will ensure planned development in the hilly region.
Traffic: NCP has already proposed a double-decker flyover (flyover with two levels, each with one-way traffic going in separate directions) at Chandni Chowk that will resolve traffic issues in the area.
- Baburao Chandere NCP

Cantonment

Critical issues: The upkeep of the water pipeline distribution system, proper implementation of the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) schemes and redevelopment of civilian houses in the area are crucial factors in the Cantonment assembly constituency.

Water: Will change water pipelines that are older than 20 years.
Slums: Will take SRA schemes forward for the slum developments in the constituency.
Civilian homes: Civilians are not allowed to reconstruct houses falling in the Cantonment area, due to which large numbers of voters are shifting away from here. We will work on the reconstruction issue.
- Ramesh Bagwe Sitting MLA- Congress

Water: Water pipelines need to be improved as they have become very old and vulnerable, and the water often gets contaminated. This needs to change.
Slums: SRA schemes for the slum areas in the constituency need to be implemented in a proper way; they need to be built properly, and be kept clean as well.
Civilian homes: I will of course try to solve the problems of civilians, as they need to redevelop their houses too.
- Parshuram Wadekar Shiv Sena

Water: Installing new pipelines in the area is a must, as presently they are in a very bad condition.
Slums: SRA schemes should be implemented properly so that everyone benefits from it.
Civilian homes: Civilians should have the right to redevelop their houses.
- Bhagwan Vairat NCP

Water: We will try to get packages from the central government to develop pipelines in the area.
Slums: SRA schemes need to be implemented properly.
Civilian homes: We will try to ensure redevelopment of civilian houses.
- Dilip Kamble BJP

Water: Will execute the plan that was already charted out while I was serving as a corporator in the PMC.
Slums: Slum rehabilitation will also be taken up seriously.
Civilian homes: Will take up the issue of redevelopment of civilian houses in the Cantonment area with the central government.
- Ajay Tayde MNS

Khadakwasla

Critical issues: With both urban and rural sections, this constituency is most concerned with tourism at Sinhagad Fort, pollution in the Mutha River, and traffic congestion on Sinhagad Road.

Tourism: We will develop Sinhagad Fort as a good tourist spot.
Mutha River: We will resolve the river pollution issue.
Traffic: Traffic in the area needs to be regulated properly.
- Bhimrao Tapkir  Sitting MLA BJP

Tourism: I will boost tourism at Sinhagad Fort and build a theme park to educate people about Tanaji Malusare (military commander in Maratha king Shivaji’s army).
Mutha River: I will take measures to prevent pollution in Mutha river.
Traffic: I will solve traffic issues at Sinhagad Road, NDA Road and Chandani Chowk
- Shyam Deshpande Shiv Sena

Tourism: We will definitely promote Sinhagad Fort area as a prime tourism spot.
Mutha River: We will develop a garden by the river, and reduce river pollution.
Traffic: Will build flyovers on Sinhagad road wherever needed.
- Srirang Chavan Congress

Tourism: I’ll focus on Sinhagad Fort and Khadakwasla, Panshet and Temghar dam areas, which have great potential for tourism, and will ensure job opportunities for the local youth and farming community.
Mutha River: The river originates in the hilly region of Khadakwasla, and we will try to curb pollution in it.
Traffic: We will immediately start work on a couple of overbridges proposed on Sinhagad Road to solve traffic congestion.
- Dilip Barate NCP

Tourism: We will promote tourism in the fort area.
Mutha River: We will widen roads and build flyovers to reduce traffic congestion.
Traffic: We will clean and improve the riverbed and carry out beautification projects in the area.
- Rajabhau Laygude  MNS

Vadgaonsheri

Critical issues: Vadgaonsheri is reeling under severe water shortage, haphazard implementation of the BRTS project, and
the lack of adequate health and education facilities.

Water: I’ll bring water from the new Bhama Askhed project to fully solve the water shortage issue.
BRTS: I will bring additional infrastructure for smooth functioning of BRTS on Nagar Road.
Facilities: I’ll also ensure top-class facilities in both health and education.
- Bapu Pathare Sitting MLA-NCP

Water: I will immediately repair water distribution units in the constituency and ensure that, within one year, the constituency will become free from water tankers.
BRTS: I’ll bring funds from both the state and central governments for efficient functioning of the BRTS on Nagar Road.
Facilities: I shall strengthen the public health system. I will build new government hospitals and also renovate existing clinics.
-Siddharth Dhende  RPI

Water: I’ll ensure 24x7 water supply, if elected. It is a major challenge to make Vadgaonsheri a tanker-free constituency.
BRTS: The BRTS has totally failed on Nagar Road and Alandi Road. I’ll revamp the transport system and ensure effective implementation of the project.
Facilities: I’ll build a separate government hospital like Sassoon General Hospital in the Yerawada area.
- Chandrakant Chhajed Congress

Water: I will make Vadgaonsheri tanker-free.
BRTS: I’ll act to resolve ongoing issues in the implementation of the BRTS on Nagar Road.
Facilities: I will construct a government hospital in the constituency.
- Narayan Galande MNS

Water: I’ll ensure citizens won’t have to depend on water tankers.
BRTS: I’ll allow functioning of BRTS tracks to avoid increasing traffic problems.
Facilities: I shall ensure that land reserved under the development plan is used to strengthen healthcare services and education infrastructure.
-Jagdish Mulik  BJP

Water: To end dependency on water tankers, I will build new water reservoir systems.
BRTS: I’ll remove flaws in the BRTS design and ensure effective public transport.
Facilities: A new government hospital is the need of the hour, and I will make all efforts to enhance the healthcare system.
- Sunil Tingre Shiv Sena

Kasba Peth

Critical issues: Redevelopment of old wadas, river pollution and increasing traffic congestion in the Peth areas are the main concerns for voters in this constituency.

Traffic: MNS, in its blue print, not only gave solutions to resolve traffic issues, but also focused on problems faced by pedestrians.
Wadas: As incidents of dilapidated wadas collapsing are on the rise, redevelopment of old wadas is an urgent necessity.
Mutha river: It is my dream to make Mutha pollution-free.
- Ravindra Dhangekar MNS

Traffic: We will execute traffic rules strongly.
Wadas: For the rehabilitation of the wada residents, we will emphasise on providing 2 FSI and minimum 270-370 sq foot-houses.
Mutha river: I will focus on cleaning Mutha river, and will take strong measures for it.
- Rohit Tilak Congress

Traffic: Public transport quality will be increased to solve the traffic problem.
Wadas: Will ensure the reconstruction of older wadas and rehabilitation of the residents.
Mutha river: Will clean the river and provide better sewage management.
- Girish Bapat Sitting MLA-BJP

Traffic: The Peth area in the city is at least 100 years old, and there is no scope for road widening to boost public transport. Hence I will focus on other possible solutions.
Wadas: Redevelopment of old wadas is a complex issue and we will try to bring about cluster development by giving 2.5 FSI to developers, with the consensus of residents.
Mutha river: Building new sewage treatment plants is one of the major actions we will take to curb the increasing pollution of Mutha river.
- Prashant Badhe Shiv Sena

Traffic: At the very primary level, we will improve public transport facilities and will implement traffic rules very strictly.
Wadas: There are some wadas that are still strong and need to be preserved. But those that are not so strong have been already included in the party’s policy and we will provide proper rehabilitation to its residents.
Mutha river: We will start the project, ‘swachta abhiyan’ and will clean the river and also welcome citizen participation in the drive.
- Deepak Mankar NCP

Parvati

Critical issues: Since 2006, when the BRTS was implemented on pilot basis in some parts of this constituency, the project has been an election campaign issue. Besides BRTS, slum rehabilitation and inadequate health facilities are also on the voters’ minds.

BRTS: Will solve all traffic woes on the Pune-Satara road and BRTS track.
Slums: Will regularise slums in hilly areas.
Healthcare: Will provide healthy conditions and proper housing in the slum area.
- Jairaj Landge MNS

BRTS: Will resolve the BRTS route problem and finish the flyover construction at Swargate chowk.
Slums: Will implement SRA plans for slums in the constituency.
Healthcare: Will provide healthy and ideal living conditions to citizens.
- Abhay Chhajed Congress

BRTS: Will ensure Metro rail project is extended to Katraj, so that traffic congestion on Pune-Satara road is reduced. Will also complete pending flyover constructions and BRTS routes.
Slums: Will rehabilitate slums and generate more jobs for the youth.
Healthcare: Will ensure health facilities are improved for citizens
- Subhash Jagtap NCP

BRTS: Will solve the BRTS route issue and make the Swargate stop an all-facility hub.
Slums: Will take firm decisions about slum rehabilitation.
Healthcare: Will develop an ESI (Employees’ State Insurance) hospital for citizens so that they get facilities at cheaper rates.
- Madhuri Misal Sitting MLA BJP

BRTS: Will make suitable changes in the BRTS design to ensure its effective implementation.
Slums: Will ensure fast implementation of slum rehabilitation in the area.
Healthcare: Will try to bring more health facilities in the constituency for the benefit of citizens.
- Sachin Taware Shiv Sena

Text/Niranjan Medhekar, Kartiki Lawate, Manasi Kulkarni, Namrata Anjana
Pics/Shashank Sane

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