Days after 20 industrial units to threatened migrate from Chakan MIDC area citing pathetic state of amenities, Maharashtra Cabinet Minister for Industries Uday Samant, who Sunday rushed to Chakan and  met the aggrieved industrialists, directed officials to complete the required infrastructure work within a 10-month period and fill up the potholes by August 31.

”I have directed officials to complete the infrastructure work as demanded by the industrialists in Chakan within next 10 months,” the Minister said at a press conference after holding discussions with the agitated Chakan industrialists. Samant held a meeting with the local industrialists.

Samant said he has directed officials to address all the grievances raised by the industrialists at the meeting. “Be it about the state of roads, laying new roads,  waste collection and disposal,  widening of roads, setting up truck terminal acquiring space for road and parking facilities, drinking water facility or the traffic jams, I have directed officials to resolve all the grievances of the industrialists,” he said.

Samant reached Chakan following directives of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis who had termed the situation as “serious”.

Samant inspected the MIDC and PMRDA roads in Chakan. He also inspected the locations suggested by industrialists. Following this, he held a meeting with representatives of industrial associations, entrepreneurs, and officials.

Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde participated in the meeting via video conferencing. The meeting which lasted for three hours was also attended MP Dr. Amol Kolhe, MLA Babaji Kale, Neelam Gorhe, Collector Jitendra Dudi, PMRDA Commissioner Abhijit Chaudhari and association office-bearers.

The minister, however, played down the issue of the threat of migration by aggrieved industries. “Throughout our meeting, the issue of migration of industries did not come up for discussion. No one said we are migrating.  I don’t know from where the issue had come up. Whatever discussions we had were also positive ones. In fact, from the discussions, it emerged that in Pune and Chakan, industrial growth has been rising by 30 per cent every year,” Samant said.

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Samant said as there are too many government agencies working in Chakan resulting in confusion, and the Pune district collector will henceforth be coordinating their work. “We have set up a committee for this. The district collector will be coordinating the work of all the agencies. He will also be holding a janta durbar evey Friday to address the grievances of the industrialists. We will have necessary powers to get things down from the government agencies working in Chakan. Similarly, he will have the powers to act against the erring agencies,” he said.

”I will also be holding meetings every two months to resolve the problems of all other MIDCs in Pune,” he said.

Regarding traffic congestions in Chakan MIDC area, the minister said that they are planning resolve the issue by implementing a plan in three phases: “Temporary, medium-term, and permanent. Potholes will be filled by August 31… Contractors who fail to complete work on time will be blacklisted.”

The minister said several new roads have been approved in Chakan MIDC area. ”PMRDA has given work orders for some roads in January. However, the road work has not yet started. We have decided to black-list the contractors who have not started the new road works,” he said.

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Samant said the problem of waste collection and disposal was also addressed at the meeting. “MIDC will provide the necessary land for garbage disposal. Till then, the PMRDA will issue a tender regarding the waste disposal,” he said.

Samant added that some industries have taken hundreds of acres of land and had promised that they would make space available for parking of their vehicles. “We have asked the police and the collectorate to see that their vehicles are parked in their own given space,” he said.

The minister said they have decided to widen the roads in Chakan.  Sawant said they have also decided that MSEDCL should given space to set up required sub-stations. “Besides, heavy vehicles are found parking on roads in Chakan. We decided at the meeting that empty space belonging to MIDC will be provided to park such heavy vehicles,” he said, adding that MIDC will also be providing space to set up a truck terminal and an advanced hospital in Chakan area.

Regarding the water issue, Samant said State Minister Gulabrao Patil will next week visit Chakan to address the problem.

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Sawant said a particular road work was stalled by four farmers in Chakan. ”We have decided to compulsively acquire their land for a new road. We will be depositing their land compensation amount in the court from where they can withdraw the amount whenever they required,” he said.