Amisha Pathania, Pune
For Pune residents, the ambitious blueprint unveiled by Municipal Commissioner Vikram Kumar aims at a complete overhaul of the existing city infrastructure to make it easier for daily movement. In his budget presentation for the fiscal year 2024-25, Kumar announced a mind-boggling Rs 11,601 crore budget allocation which is a Rs 2,086-crore increase from last year.
Despite this considerable increment in funds, Kumar assured people that there would be no concurrent rise in tax rates aimed at relieving individuals of financial burdens. The major elements of these plans are many flyovers and grade separators located strategically across the congested areas of traffic within the city. Places identified for these upgrades include Vishrantwadi, Shastrinagar Chowk, Kharadi Bypass, and Thackeray Chowk in Yerawada among others. Reducing congestion on roads as well as other current infrastructural bottlenecks will lead to seamless commuting experiences going forward.
Moreover, Pune’s water supply infrastructure is set for a significant overhaul, with the implementation of the 24*7 equal water supply project. Of the 141 planned water supply zones, 56 have already been completed, with approximately 960 km of water channels laid down and 1.45 lakh AMR smart water meters installed. The ambitious project also encompasses the construction of 77 storage tanks, the laying of 1800 km of water channels, and the installation of 3.15 lakh water meters.
Under the Amrit Mission of the Union Government, 50 Service Reservoirs have been completed, with an additional 22 in progress at various stages. Concurrently, the city has witnessed the completion of civic facilities centers at four locations, with ongoing works on pumping stations under two water treatment centers. In terms of economic milestones, the gathering of water bill payments for the economic year 2023-24 totaled an excellent Rs. 90.50 crores as of January 15, 2024. Looking ahead, the city targets to commission 70 storage tanks with the aid of the cease of March 2025, increase a brand new distribution gadget spanning approximately 300 km, and install around 1 lakh new water meters.
Additionally, plans are underway to put together a detailed challenge document for a commonplace water supply scheme covering 34 newly included villages, with Bavdhan Budruk and Sus-Mahalunge diagnosed as the preliminary phases of implementation. With these comprehensive initiatives in motion, Pune is poised to witness tangible improvements in both its traffic landscape and water supply infrastructure, promising a better quality of life for its residents in the foreseeable future.