Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has staked his personal political credibility on the outcome of the upcoming Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) elections. On Tuesday, he declared himself a "guarantor" for all corporators elected from the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance, promising to remove all obstacles for development funds and projects after the polls.
A Personal Pledge for Nagpur's Future
Addressing election rallies at Borgaon, Tiranga Square, and Trimurti Nagar, Fadnavis made a significant commitment to the city's voters. He announced that from January 16—the day results are declared—he and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari would jointly back every elected corporator for their full five-year term. "I take the guarantee to complete remaining works and fulfil people's expectations, and there would be no shortage of funds," the Chief Minister asserted.
Positioning Nagpur as a shining example of BJP-led governance, Fadnavis detailed the city's rapid transformation over the past decade. He cited a recent international survey that identified Nagpur among the top 5 fastest-growing Indian cities projected for 2030. "People are surprised when they see how a network of big expressways, flyovers and infrastructure came up here," he remarked.
Showcasing a Decade of Development
The CM provided a comprehensive overview of Nagpur's progress across multiple sectors:
On civic infrastructure, he stated the city is nearing its goal of 24x7 drinking water supply, with coverage already reaching nearly 90% of the original city area. He projected that Nagpur would become completely tanker-free within three years, even during peak summer. He contrasted the present with 1997, when he was mayor, noting the city had just 8 water tanks compared to 105 today.
Fadnavis highlighted pioneering sanitation reforms, stating Nagpur became the first Indian city to scientifically treat sewer water and generate power from it. "We are not only saving the environment, but also earning from it. Other cities are now adopting this model," he said.
To address perennial pothole problems, the administration has undertaken large-scale cement concrete road projects. "Once cement roads are laid, there is no need for repairs for 50 years. Thousands of crores earlier went into annual patchwork. We changed the face of the city," he explained.
Building a Hub for Health, Education, and Employment
The Chief Minister outlined further advancements aimed at making Nagpur a regional powerhouse:
- Transport: Nagpur remains one of the few metro cities with manageable traffic, attributed to flyover networks, metro rail, and upcoming electric buses. Daily metro ridership has crossed 1 lakh and is expected to double after the second phase.
- Environment & Tourism: Lake rejuvenation projects at Shukrawari, Sakkardara, Sonegaon, and Futala have created vibrant water bodies. Gorewada is emerging as an eco-tourism hub with an African safari soon to be launched.
- Healthcare: A Rs 700-crore upgrade is underway for the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) and Mayo Hospital (IGGMCH), including a new 200-bed cancer hospital. The Mahatma Phule Jan Arogya Yojana provides free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh, and up to Rs 35 lakh for some diseases.
- Education & Jobs: With institutions like AIIMS, IIM, IIIT, Symbiosis, and NMIMS, Nagpur is becoming an education hub. The MIHAN and MADC projects have already generated over 1 lakh jobs, with another 1 lakh expected from Samruddhi Corridor-linked industrial clusters.
Fadnavis also spoke about a world-class stadium and sports university at Mankapur, slum land rights regularisation, and housing schemes that granted ownership to the poor after a 50-year wait.
Appeal for a Clean Sweep and Policy Assurance
Dismissing opposition claims that welfare schemes would be scrapped, Fadnavis gave a firm assurance: "Till Deva Bhau is CM, the Ladki Bahin scheme will not be closed." He revealed the scheme had already created over 50 lakh 'Lakhpati Didis' in 2025, with a target to increase this number to 1 crore.
Concluding his campaign pitch, Fadnavis appealed for a clean sweep in East, South, and Southwest Nagpur constituencies. "We have the vision and the power to deliver. You know how others would fare if you elect them. Give Nagpur's charge once again to BJP and Mahayuti. Leave the rest to me," he said, putting his personal reputation squarely behind the alliance's performance.
