News

IndianExpress: The government is eyeing the option of roping in private players to upgrade smaller airports in the state for improving air connectivity. Ashok Chavan, industry minister of Maharashtra, said the plan was to develop these airports on a BOT basis so that the commercial potential of these airports could be exploited fully and connectivity improved across the state.

This will provide a big boost to the region because some of the proposed airstrips for development are at Baramati, Solapur, Kolhapur and Karad are otherwise dependent on the Pune airport.

The other option is for the state to set up joint ventures with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for upgrading smaller airports that are with the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC). However, a response from AAI is still awaited. “We would like the land costs to be taken into consideration and convert it into equity. We are awaiting a response on this,” Chavan told the media here on Tuesday.

IndianExpress: Come March and the Pune Municipal Corporation will take the first step towards becoming a paperless office. For, the civic body is in the process of implementing a Works Management System that will put the entire processes - from tenders to inventory management and estimates to final sanction - online.

“All the civic engineering departments will be connected through an intranet and Soft Tech Engineering Pvt Ltd is developing a software,” city engineer Prashant Waghmare said. The cost of developing the software is Rs 18 lakh.

Besides making it a paperless office, the civic body will make the entire process citizen-friendly by uploading the data about the various development works including the name of the contractor, deadline and the officer supervising the work on its website. “Citizens can also keep a watch on the various development works taking place in their areas and also know who should be held responsible in case of a delay,” Waghmare said

IndianExpress: The Pune-Satara Road has claimed its second motorbike accident victim in a span of three days. If Nitin Vaidya (40) was crushed to death on Sunday at the Saibaba mandir chowk, another motorcyclist died on Tuesday, succumbing to injuries he sustained while riding on the same stretch. Satish Krushna Pardeshi (26 ) had skidded and fallen off his motorbike on Saturday near Hotel Panchami, some 200 metres away from the Saibaba mandir chowk.

Following Vaidya’s death, there was demand that immediate safety measures be implemented on Satara Road where BRTS pilot work is under way
 

IndianExpress: Sunday will particularly be a fun day for over 1,000 IT and BPO employees from Pune will particularly be a fun day for over 1,000 IT and BPO employees from Pune who will participate in the Hutch Pune International Marathon. They will be running for issues ranging from traffic awareness to promoting health and fitness. The reason, apart from the growth in the IT sector in the last year, is being attributed to a young workforce that is keen on spreading a positive social message.

According to Autoline Dimensions Software Services CEO Deepak Shikarpur, “There are over ten software companies participating in the marathon. Last year, there were just about 300 employees from software companies. But this year there has been a rapid rise in the numbers.” Shikarpur is also a member of the organising committee of the Pune Marathon.
 
“Since the IT and BPO sectors are thriving, participation of these companies will have a good impact on the image of the city,” he said, adding that though the committee has been working to increase numbers for the past four years, this is the first time that he has seen such a phenomenal response.

IndianExpress: PCMC’s veterinary department, which has planned to set up a pet cemetery in Nehrunagar, has decided to decentralise the system of catching dogs. The effort is to attend to citizens’ complaints about stray dogs quickly. A proposal to this effect will soon be placed before the civic general body meetings. “The proposal is ready,” Dr Satish Gore, chief of the veterinary department said.

As of now, the veterinary department located in Pimpri attends to all complaints and the responsibility of catching dogs is on the four divisional offices.

Every day, the PCMC gets 5-10 complaints. “There are problems attending to citizens complaints quickly. We are both short on men and machinery. With only two vehicles, it becomes difficult to reach every nook and corner. “Besides, if our men reach a particular spot , most often the dogs are not to be found. It is an every day story.”

IndianExpress: The chances of solving the long pending issue of rehabilitating residents of Ahire village near the National Defence Academy, whose lands have been acquisitioned by the Defence ministry, appeared bright when a recently held meeting of various parties concerned decided to rehabilitate the affected residents at Warje.

The meeting was organised by District Collector Prabhakar Deshmukh at the instance of a suggestion by Member of Parliament from Khed constituency Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil.
 
The meeting was attended by Adhalrao Patil, MLA Sharad Dhamale, Pune’s Deputy Minicipal Commissioner Sooraj Mandhare, tehsildar of Haveli taluka Sooraj Deshmukh, deputy collector Tanaji Shinde, Col SCW Ghatpande and Major R D Gaur of NDA, Zilla Parishad member Somnath Landge, Ahire Sarpanch Bharat Wanjale and deputy sarpanch Ankush Paigude