Sule inspects Pune's rain-hit areas, slams govt over infrastructure neglect

NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) MP Supriya Sule on Tuesday visited areas of the city that had faced waterlogging and other rain-related problems last week, and claimed that the government was not responsive enough.

The Baramati MP visited Model Colony, Sinhgad Road, Wadgaon and Katraj localities.

The city was lashed by torrential rains on Saturday evening with Shivajinagar area receiving more than 100 mm of rain between 5.30 pm to 8.30 pm. Speaking to reporters, Sule said the city was facing multiple crises including rising crime, but the administration's response was inadequate.

"On the one hand, crime is increasing, drug-related crimes are taking place, and on the other hand there is a complete collapse of administration and infrastructure," she claimed. Pune was part of the Union government's Smart City project but rainwater was entering people's houses due to encroachments, Sule said, demanding action against encroachments on water bodies. "Pune residents pay their taxes and now they are asking for accountability over the collapse of infrastructure," the NCP (SP) MP said, adding that she was going to meet the municipal commissioner and discuss these issues. "Someone has to speak, as everybody is busy breaking up political parties and families. Now that they have got less seats in the Lok Sabha (compared to the last time), they will be busy increasing the count. They have time to increase their count but not for the people who vote for them," Sule said, taking a swipe at the BJP and ruling Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra.

The BJP was in power in the civic body (before the term of its general body ended and an administrator was appointed), she noted.