Pune corporators, aspirants promise action

Participating in DNA’s ‘My Locality, My Voice’ initiative on Saturday, sitting corporators and aspirants for the two seats from Kalyaninagar (Panel No. 17) assured members of residents’ associations that they would pay the closest attention to their concerns in the area.

Those who spoke included sitting Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) corporator from Don Bosco ward, Bapurao Karne Guruji; Vijay Patil, son of sitting NCP corporator from Aga Khan Palace, Prakash Galande Patil; Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) aspirant from the area, Jayant Mohite; former Congress corporator and aspirant John Paul; and Congress aspirant Sunil Mhalke.

When citizens protested against the nuisance of ugly banners and hoardings put up by the politicians, almost all political representatives became defensive. Karne Guruji said he has never put up such banners and will respect public sentiments by never doing so in the future.

Karne Guruji said a Y-Junction flyover was necessary to divert and move the traffic faster on Ahmednagar Road. “There is a proposal and funds would be allocated for the same and also for a subway at Shastrinagar Chowk for pedestrians’ safety in the next budget so we can have greater safety on the roads,” he said.

He said it was important to use the available open and amenity spaces for multi-level parking and hawkers’ zones.

Vijay Patil, son of Prakash Patil, sitting corporator of Aga Khan Palace ward said the Kalyani Nagar Residents Association (KNRA) had played an important role in bringing about the development of the locality.

He appealed to residents of Panel No.17 to vote only for educated candidates. “Even though my father is a corporator of this area, I appeal to all of you to vote only for educated candidates. This is the only way to speed up work and get better leaders,” said Patil.
Mhalke said it is the responsibility of elected representatives to monitor civic works. The corporator should attend to calls  from citizens, he added.

BJP aspirant Jayant Mohite said, “Problems need to be sorted out as the tax payers should not be left to face any nuisance, as they do their part of paying taxes. We as representatives should solve their problems.”

On illegal hutments, Mohite said, “The matter will be sorted out as soon as rehabilitation of most of the people has been finalised. The only thing to be finalised is whether the cut-off date for slum rehabilitation should be 1995 or 2000.”

Paul said, “Builders are given permission to construct their project once they guarantee basic amenities like water supply, internal roads, parking. They fail to undertake these responsibilities and the citizens expect the work to be done by the elected representatives, which is unfair.”