Pune | Undri Residents Demand Basic Amenities, Question PMC’s Priorities: ‘Enough Is Enough’ | File Photo
For nearly two decades, the residents of Undri have been living without basic amenities such as proper roads, sewage pipelines, streetlights and—most glaringly—access to clean water. This failure goes back to the gram panchayat era and has only worsened post-merger with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).
Even after the October 2017 merger, the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for water supply infrastructure has not been prepared yet. This is a direct reflection of the negligence and inefficiency of the PMC Commissioner’s office, which should have prioritised this matter. Instead, their focus has been solely on revenue collection, diverting those funds to make elite areas more luxurious while leaving Undri deprived of basic necessities.
‘PMC passes the buck and indulges in bureaucratic red tape’
Sunil Koloti, a resident of Nayati Wind Chimes, Undri, said, “Instead of taking responsibility, PMC passes the buck and indulges in bureaucratic red tape, leaving residents helpless. If this were the corporate world, such gross incompetence would lead to immediate dismissals. This apathy becomes even more shameful when you consider that many residents of Undri are war veterans who have fought valiantly for the country. These heroes, who risked their lives to secure our nation’s future, are now left struggling for basic survival in their retirement. What message are we sending when those who defend our borders are forced to buy water to live, all while paying property taxes that include water tax? PMC’s actions or lack thereof show a complete lack of leadership, accountability, and empathy. Imagine if Model Colony, home to IAS officers and elite bungalows, faced a three-day water shortage. The PMC office would be flooded with complaints, and chief engineers would scramble to resolve the issue overnight. But for Undri, there’s nothing but apathy and excuses.”
‘Our tax multiplied three times after the merger’
Sunil Aiyer, another resident, pointed out that his society is dependent on tanker water and around three thousand tankers are needed every year to meet the requirements of the residents which costs them around ₹15-18 lakh. He added, “We have been hearing since 2017 that we will get water. Our tax multiplied three times after the merge with PMC but we haven’t got water supply to date. The basic question that arises is when PMC merged Undri, did they have a DP plan ready before taking it over?”
‘There is a tanker mafia’
Pradeep Masand, another resident of Undri, said, “We are not getting a single drop of water; we are solely dependent on tanker water service. Every day 20-25 tankers are needed to meet the water demand in our society. Most of these tankers are owned by corporators. There is a tanker mafia. We are paying property taxes to PMC but when it comes to getting basic amenities like water, roads and street lights, we get nothing. It is an injustice to the people and to the war heroes who gave their all for this country. The residents demand action, not excuses. There is no pipeline and no sewage treatment plant, what is the role of PMC? Why they are allowing construction if they can’t provide us with water? The RTI filled the residents revealed that there is no budget sanctioned for undertaking any work related to water connections. This is not just negligence; it’s exploitation. It’s high time PMC recognises that Undri residents deserve better not as an afterthought, but as equal stakeholders in Pune’s growth.”
‘Cannot give the exact time frame’
Meanwhile, speaking with The Free Press Journal, Nandkumar Jagtap, head of the water department, PMC said, “We cannot give the exact time frame by which the water pipeline will be laid in Undri but we had a meeting with the PMC commissioner regarding this recently. The work of laying the pipeline is halted because of the Katraj-Kondhwa road widening and land acquisition issues. If these issues are resolved, the work will be completed. If it was an open space, we would have completed the work of laying the water pipelines but because there’s a permanent structure on the proposed road we are not able to operate.”
