Protests halt traffic on Pune-Mumbai highway

PIMPRI: Vehicular movement on the old Pune-Mumbai highway was affected for more than an hour when hundreds of women participated in a morcha to the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) here on Saturday to demand cancellation of a slum rehabilitation project.

The municipal corporation has approved a slum rehabilitation scheme for Siddharthnagar, Gulabnagar, Jaibhimnagar and Mahatma Phulenagar. The slum residents have objected to the manner of preparing the scheme. The protesters were led by former municipal corporator Chandrakanta Sonkamble.

Representatives of some cooperative housing societies also organised a two-wheeler rally to the civic body on Saturday to demand regular water supply and lifting of the garbage in Wakad.

The housing societies delegation had threatened not to pay taxes until their demands were met.

Municipal Commissioner Shravan Hardikar who met the delegation of the housing societies said that the water supply to Wakad cannot be increased immediately. He also added that the municipal corporation offers tax rebate to housing societies for their waste management schemes.

Those present at the meeting included housing societies representatives Sudesh Raje, Sudhir Deshmukh, leader of the Opposition in PCMC Datta Sane, Shiv Sena group leader Rahul Kalate and corporator Mayur Kalate.