Sharad Pawar looks up to Ahmedabad BRTS for Pune

Union agriculture minister, Sharad Pawar on Saturday said Pune needs to rework its bus rapid transit system (BRTS) project on the lines of the one in Ahmedabad.

Speaking to mediapersons in Pune, Pawar said, “I have noticed that the BRTS in Ahmedabad is doing very well. Pune needs to work out its BRTS project on the same lines.” The Pune BRTS was launched ahead of the 2007 civic polls.

Pawar also said Pune needs to have an underground metro rail project. “The metro has been introduced in some cities. Results of the underground metro have been very good.”

However, Mumbai went for the elevated metro and there are difficulties in implementation of the project. That is why I feel Pune should go for an underground metro. We should be concentrating on a long-term solution for traffic problems of the city and not on mere cost-cutting,” he said.

In 2009-10, the PMC passed a resolution for elevated metro rail project pegged at Rs9,534 crore from Vanaz to Ramwadi, but after fierce opposition from city-based activists, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar in December last year declared that the PMC would have an underground metro rail system.

Pawar promised that if voted to power with a clear majority in the PMC, the NCP would ensure that Pune became the first city in India to introduce a woman-friendly urban policy. “Such policies have been made in a few foreign countries. With 50 percent reservations for woman, participation of women in political process is on the increase. However, we need to consider the needs of women while developing infrastructure and making policies,” he said.

Pawar promised that if voted to power with a clear majority in the PMC, his party would come up with a time-bound action plan for city’s development within three months. He said, “We need to consider the growing population in the next 10 years, while framing the policies regarding transport, roads and garden and need to see what qualitative changes we can do in these years. The NCP, while preparing its action plan, will consult experts in various fields for perfect planning.”

“Give us full majority for the next five years and assess our development work,” said Pawar, asking for a clear mandate for the NCP in the civic polls so that the party can execute the development works of the city effectively.

Assessing NCP’s performance over the last five years, he said, “There has been some improvement in the city. The city had become infamous because of pothole-ridden roads. That situation does not prevail anymore.”

When pointed out that the NCP had made alliances of convenience with various parties including the saffron alliance and the Congress in the PMC over the last five years, he said, “It happened because there was no clear majority.”

Reiterating his views on the verbal attacks on each other by senior NCP and Congress ministers, Pawar said, “The NCP is sharing power with the Congress at the national and state level but at district level both parties are contesting against each other, so such things are normal but one should not target anyone personally.”

He downplayed controversies involving NCP ministers, Prafulla Patel and Chhagan Bhujbal saying, “Such things do keep happening during the election period.” When asked for comments on parties fielding candidates with a criminal past, he said, “Such candidates are being fielded and elected for a long time. I do not think the situation in Maharashtra is worrisome. Candidates with a criminal past do not get enough powers to interfere in policy decisions.”