On the second day of their agitation, residents of the Autade-Handewadi area in Pune took out a protest march, leading officials from the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) to provide assurances that water and power issues would be addressed at the earliest.
Protest March Demands Resolution of Water and Power Problems
Hundreds of residents from various housing societies in the area marched on Saturday from Handewadi Chowk to the Bhujbal overhead water tank. The protest aimed to express displeasure over the delay by the PMC and MSEDCL in resolving water and power supply problems.
Ashish Ingale, one of the agitators, stated, "The PMC and the MSEDCL officials assured us of some immediate steps to resolve the problems."
PMC's Commitment to Water Pipeline Work
Ingale further elaborated, "The PMC's water supply department officials assured the residents that the work on a water pipeline from the Bhujbal overhead water tank to their area would be completed within the next six months. This pipeline is expected to provide some relief to residents facing severe water problems."
MSEDCL's Assurance on Power Supply Infrastructure
Regarding electricity, Ingale said, "The MSEDCL authorities have assured us of a power supply line and provision of related infrastructure in the area to reduce voltage fluctuations. The authorities are expected to issue a letter next week with a detailed plan."
Residents indicated that they would follow up with the authorities to ensure that the works are completed within the deadlines. One resident remarked, "Our agitation has not ended. We will continue our dialogues with the civic authorities on other pending issues. We will also follow up with local elected representatives on the problems."
The protest underscores the persistent challenges faced by residents in the Autade-Handewadi area regarding basic amenities. The assurances from officials provide a glimmer of hope, but residents remain vigilant and committed to holding authorities accountable for timely implementation of the promised measures.
