With the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash in Baramati on Wednesday, exactly three weeks after the demise of Congress leader Suresh Kalmadi, Pune has lost two of its key architects who shaped the city over the last few decades.
“It is unfortunate that two great personalities who made enormous contributions to the development of Pune They have died within three weeks. Ajit Pawar’s death is very painful,” said a senior Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) official.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar was the guardian minister of Pune (a position he held independently of the government of which he was a part) and had unfurled the national flag at the Pune police precinct in Shivajinagar on January 26.
Although Kalmadi, who died on January 6 after a prolonged illness, and Ajit Pawar fought for dominance in the PMC, both were instrumental in driving the city’s development through major government infrastructure projects.
“I came in touch with Ajit Pawar during my tenure as Pune mayor. He stayed out of politics and took steps to control the situation during the COVID-19 pandemic. “He always trusted me while taking decisions for the city,” recalled Union minister and former Pune mayor Murlidhar Mohol.
Before 2007, Ajit Pawar had proven his mettle through development work in the industrial city of Pimpri Chinchwad, where an undivided NCP had complete control over the civic body. He was also responsible for spearheading initiatives such as wide roads and other infrastructure projects.
At the same time, Congress was in power in the PMC, with Kalmadi at the helm. The Congress leader got funding from the Center to widen and concretize the roads during the Commonwealth Youth Games. The Bus Rapid Transit System was also introduced to provide an efficient public transportation system for the city. Kalmadi also proposed the Pune Metro, which was later implemented during the BJP government. He also secured funding to improve the Mula and Mutha rivers.
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In 2007, Congress lost control of the Pune civic body to the NCP under Ajit Pawar. However, he not only continued the development projects started during the Congress term, but also promoted new initiatives.
It was under the NCP government that the extension of the PMC’s civic boundaries gained momentum as Ajit Pawar emphasized planned development in the rapidly urbanizing suburbs. He also pushed for flyover projects to ease traffic congestion and supported strengthening of the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited bus service.
Ajit Pawar was also following the under-construction Ring Road project developed by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), which will be opened for vehicles in phases from next year. He also got road infrastructure projects approved for the industrial cities of Hinjewadi, Chakan and Shirur in Pune district.
To ensure water management, Ajit Pawar made the PMC take up projects to check water loss due to leakage and theft. He initiated the ongoing construction of a tunnel from the dam to bring water to rural areas through the state government. He also got the Pune civic body to recycle sewage for agricultural purposes outside the city limits. To meet the growing demand for water in Pune, Ajit Pawar recently said efforts were being made to draw water from the Mulshi dam.
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Ajit Pawar also advocated formation of at least two more municipal corporations in Pune district (Chakan and Uruli Kanchan) for efficient delivery of civic services to citizens.
“Ajit Pawar’s death has come as a shock. It is as if we have lost a guardian who always took decisions in the interest of the state. I worked closely with him for many years. It was with him that I could take up issues for the welfare of the city,” said NCP (SP) leader Vandana Chavan, former mayor during the Congress government.
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