Slow pace of Smart City road construction causes inconvenience to residents of Pimple Saudagar

PUNE The residents near Kokane chowk in Pimple Saudagar have to daily deal with dust due to the road under construction and traffic jams. As the project under Smart City works moves at a snail’s pace, around 10,000 residents of 15-20 housing societies located nearby are clueless as to when the road will be completed.

“Since one-and-a-half years, the roads have been blocked from both ends making it difficult for four-wheelers to reach their homes. Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) officials don’t respond to our calls,” said Roshan Sharma, who runs a shop on Kokane Chowk.

The Smart City works near Kokane chowk was started in March 2021 before the Covid pandemic affected the progress of the project.

“The work will be completed in the next two months. Residents are facing inconvenience as work is going on both sides of the road,” said Laxmikant Kolhe, deputy engineer, Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation.

Sushma Paranjape said, “Many autorickshaw drivers don’t drop us till our building as they fear that their vehicle will be damaged due to the road under construction. PCMC should complete work at the earliest.”