10.10.09

Sena - BJP's Pune vision

The Shiv Sena-BJP alliance released its ‘vision plan’ for Pune, promising a slew of development initiatives including the long overdue development plan (DP), a metropolitan regional development authority, river clean-up, slum rehabilitation and tackling public transport issues, among other things. Almost all issues raised by the saffron alliance through the ‘vision plan’ relate to longstanding issues afflicting the city, irrespective of the elections gone by. What makes the alliance optimistic this time is its supreme confidence that the Sena-BJP will be voted to power in the state in the October 13 assembly polls. The leaders promised “honest” efforts at solving the years of unresolved problems. Anil Shirole said, “Pune’s population has grown by manifolds in the recent years and was bound to touch the 1 crore mark over the next two decades. The growth has given way to several issues and calls for a planned approach towards promoting horizontal growth for the city through development of selfsustained suburbs. We will seek to realise this through the proposed PMRDA.” Similarly, he said, 42 per cent of the city’s population resides in slums and their apt rehabilitation through a redevelopment authority was badly needed. Tackling public transport problems and pursuing an independent 1,500 MW power project for Pune city will be other priorities.” Shyam Deshpande said, “The alliance will strive for the setting up of a Mula-Mutha river board for effecting the long overdue river clean up action.” ‘ The city may not have an independent airport of its own — a demand that remains unresolved for last one decade. But, that hasn’t stopped the Sena-BJP from promising a spirited effort towards renaming the existing Lohegaon civil enclave (which is part of the Indian Air Force fighter base), after Lokmanya Balgangadhar Tilak.

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