And finally, projects  be it construction of the roads or bridges they all get delayed here, and there seems to be no effective monitoring committee to keep a tab on the progress of the works.

The contracts are often given to wrong people and there has been excessive outflow of money.

Where is the electricity?

It's been almost seven years for me as a Nigdi resident. Initially, traffic was bad and it used to take an hour to reach Pune city. But thanks to the flyover, the problem has been solved. It now takes 15 minutes to reach Dapodi, and I reach the city in half and hour, if the traffic is less.

When I came here to start the Academy, there was nothing except the Amruta Math which was under construction. But today, there are so many plush buildings in the area. It's also good to see the increasing appreciation of art. The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation has a permanent ward for music comprising 10 fixed faculty members. The only complaint I have is about power cuts. It becomes difficult to conduct classes in the Academy; my entire routine gets disturbed because of load-shedding.

Better facilities needed

I have been staying in this area for a long time and I feel that residents deserve more facilities. A major chunk of PCMC's revenue comes from the MIDC industrial belt. So, they should provide proper roads and other facilities in this area.

I also feel that hygiene is not maintained properly in the area. Dustbins are cleaned once in a month and there is a lack of adequate sweepers in Pimpri-Chinchwad. The public toilets are also not cleaned regularly.

As for transport, the frequency of the buses during peak hours is low.

The only good thing is that many road projects are underway which, when completed, will definitely help the residents in future.

Superficial development

I feel PCMC has focussed on hi-fi projects and neglected the basic needs of the people. Only five to six roads have been developed properly. The quality and frequency of the transport facilities, especially in the interior localities, are pathetic. People have to stand in long queues while waiting for the buses. The dependence on private transport services has increased pollution. Pavana, Mula and Indrayani rivers are also highly polluted thereby killing aquatic life in them.

I think the development is superficial and the common man is left high and dry.

Too taxing

There have been some developments in terms of infrastructure here. Roads, for example, are better and it just takes me an hour to reach the city. In the last six to seven months, several malls and multiplexes have come up. Earlier, people had to go to Pune for shopping and entertainment. But, now that's rare.

However, power cuts every Thursday and Octroi charges have always played the spoilt sport. Power cut has decreased industrial production, especially in the automobile companies. The heavy tax levied on goods has led to many industry shifts.

Octroi isn't helping

A major development in the area has been that of an auto-cluster. Add to that the new hospitals that have become advantageous for those requiring health facilities.

But, the Octroi needs to be abolished to help industries flourish. Maharashtra is the only State where Octroi is charged. Several industries have been moving out of the State because of this. The MIDC was established for industrial development, but Octori isn't helping the cause. Moreover, there isn't any good college for education after the 10th standard. This needs to be addressed urgently.