The Maharashtra government has suspended a resolution by the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, which had rejected proposals for two road projects in Wakad area. "The state government has suspended the resolution rejecting the plan for two road projects in Wakad area. The road works were rejected by the civic standing committee. The civic administration has been asked to reply in 30 days," Municipal Commissioner Shravan Hardikar told The Indian Express on Monday. Hardikar said after the civic standing committee rejected the proposal, a Shiv Sena corporator complained to the state government. The Sena has alleged that the ruling BJP has not been allowing any works proposed by Sena or opposition corporators to be implemented. Shiv Sena corporator Rahul Kalate, who had been elected from Wakad in the 2017 civic elections, said last month, a road project and a school project worth Rs 42 crore were approved by the civic standing committee. "This was after members in the civic standing committee, who are loyal to BJP leader Mahesh Landge, voted in my favour. However, in the next meeting, all members teamed up and rejected two more road projects worth Rs 50 crore." Kalate said after the standing committee rejected the proposal, he had complained to the state government. "The government has now suspended the move. Even if the PCMC does not respond, I am confident the state government will order implementation of the road projects." Kalate said the roads were in poor condition and needed to be repaired. "Wakad is close to the IT hub Hinjewadi and thousands of commuters use these two roads. I don't understand why the BJP is against projects which are in the interest of the public," he said. BJP leader and Mayor Usha Dhore said, "The party is not against the road projects. The civic panel had rejected the resolution and directed the civic administration to first take the road in its possession. some patches of the road are not in the civic body's possession. Civic officials have a tendency to proceed in a haphazard manner. They implement projects half-heartedly. Many times, after the road work has started, local residents go to court and the work then come to a halt.This leads to wastage of time, money and energy." Dhore has written a letter to the state government on the issue. Kalate, however, said the roads were in possession of PCMC and the docket was moved by the civic administration. "The tender process has been completed for the road projects. When it was time for the work order to be issued, the standing panel stalled the projects. The problem is that they (BJP) have not read the docket. It was put forward by the administration only when the roads were in its possession and the road development plan was ready," he said.
