Punekars who regularly visit Taljai Tekdi for morning and evening walks have raised serious concerns about the deteriorating basic amenities in the area. With broken water pipelines, insufficient lighting and washrooms in a state of disrepair, walkers are now calling for immediate action. Additionally, residents have voiced alarm over the increasing presence of drunkards and chain smokers, further contributing to the degradation of natural beauty.
Hasan Shaikh, who resides near Bharati Vidyapeeth, told The Free Press Journal, “The water pipelines, which are meant to provide water for animals and birds in the area, have been broken for some time due to negligence, exacerbated by damage caused by tractors. A few days back, a fire broke out. The exact cause of the fire is still unknown but it could be done by a few chain smokers, who regularly visit inside the forest.”
Amrut Jadhav, a resident of Bibwewadi, who has been a regular at Taljai Tekdi for over many years, expressed, “I come here every morning to enjoy some peace and fresh air, but it’s becoming harder to ignore the deteriorating conditions. The washrooms are filthy, there is no water inside them. Moreover, the lights inside do not work. Authorities need to recheck timely.”
Another regular visitor, Jitendra Mane, highlighted, “We understand that there may be some issues, but the situation has been ignored for far too long. The lack of water, especially for the animals, is also a major concern. It is disheartening to see a place that once felt like a sanctuary becoming neglected. The CCTV cameras and the number of watchmen on the tekdi should be more to keep watch of the natural beauty and public safety.”
Pragati Waghmare, a resident at Padmavati, said, “The place is becoming the hotspot for the drunkards. Multiple beer bottles, cigarette packets and gutka packets could be easily seen either on or near the hill. Along with the police, the forest department needs to intervene in the matter.”
Meanwhile, speaking to this newspaper, Deepak Pawar, Assistant Conservator of Forest, said, “We will inform the dedicated department of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and the issue will be solved soon. The broken wall will be repaired in the next two weeks, so the street dogs will not be able to go inside and will be safer for the small animals’ lives. We are also communicating with the police department to install more CCTV cameras and increase police patrolling.”
