Infrastructure woes in Pune’s Chakan industrial belt trigger a fresh political confrontation over Maharashtra’s industry.
Sharad Pawar and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis have locked horns over the reported industrial exodus from Pune’s Chakan MIDC, with infrastructure deficiencies becoming the latest flashpoint between the two leaders. Pawar has raised serious concerns over reports that around 20 companies in the Chakan industrial belt are planning to relocate because of persistent traffic congestion, poor roads, pollution, and water and electricity-related problems. The companies reportedly employ more than 2,000 workers. Calling the situation “serious”, Pawar said the state government must act immediately to prevent industries from leaving Maharashtra and protect employment.
He demanded urgent infrastructure upgrades across Chakan, Talegaon and other industrial clusters, including repairs of damaged roads and measures to tackle traffic bottlenecks. Pawar also called for better coordination between MIDC, PMRDA, PWD and NHAI, along with high level meetings with industrialists and a dedicated single-window mechanism to resolve their grievances. But Fadnavis has pushed back against what he sees as an exaggerated interpretation of Maharashtra’s industrial performance. Responding to the controversy over 36,211 private companies being classified as closed in Maharashtra over the past five years, Fadnavis said 76 per cent of these entities were “defunct” companies that had never actually commenced operations. He pointed to Maharashtra’s position as the state with the highest number of registered companies and said the state continues to lead in new company registrations.
The Chief Minister, however, acknowledged that Chakan does face infrastructure-related problems. He said directions have been issued to Industries Minister Uday Samant, and a meeting involving MIDC, the district administration, PWD, PMRDA, NHAI and other agencies was held on August 12 to formulate short- and long-term solutions. Fadnavis has also made it clear that the government wants to ensure not a single industry leaves Chakan. The dispute has brought infrastructure and the business environment in one of Maharashtra’s key industrial clusters back into political focus, with Pawar seeking immediate intervention and Fadnavis attempting to counter concerns over a wider industrial decline while acknowledging the specific problems confronting Chakan.
