Tushar Pawar | TNN | Updated: Sep 25, 2019, 4:29 IST
Nashik: Pollution of the Godavari river, development of gaothan areas, irregular water supply and lack of adequate parking spaces are some of the major issues in the Nashik East constituency, which has the second highest number of voters in the district.
The constituency includes 90% of the Panchavati and Nashik Road divisions of the municipal corporation.
A large section of the voters from the constituency emphasised on the need for the state government to play a more pro-active role in development of gaothan areas and make the Godavari river free of pollution since thousands of devotees, from across the country, visit the sacred Ramkund located on the banks of the river in the city.
Many voters face daily hardships due to the erratic water supply. They have also stressed on the need to have proper vehicle parking zones in public places like the Ramkund area. There are also some basic problems such as bad roads and defunct street lights across most of the Nashik East constituency.
Old wada development in limbo
Located in the heart of the city, there are over 250 wadas and structures that are over a century old. The redevelopment of these wadas and old residential structures could not take place due to a clear policy by the municipal corporation as well the state government.
The government has not approved permission for cluster development in the gaothan areas due to the lack of an impact assessment survey. The constituency has borne the brunt of this. Over 26 dilapidated old wadas collapsed during the recent heavy showers.
New flood lines yet to be determined
The drawing up of the final flood line is the major issue that has affected the redevelopment of old properties in area. In the development control rules published in January 2017, the tentative flood line was determined as per flood experienced in 2008. But the flood waters had reached higher levels in 2016 as well as in August this year. The final flood line is yet to be finalised, said Devang Jani, an activist.
According to him, the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) gives permission for the development in blue line areas of the river against certain conditions. The permission is given for redevelopment on the condition of constructing buildings from the height of 45 centimetres above the red line. This is practically not possible, said Jani.
Need of the hour: Parking facilities
Sachin Ahire, another voter in the constituency, said the river Godavari is the citys identity. Lakhs of sadhus take a holy dip in Ramkund during Kumbha mela every 12 years.
On an average, around 25,000 pilgrims on an average visit Ramkund during that mega event and perform various rituals at old wadas and mangal karyalayas there. There is huge crowd in 1km stretch from Malegaon Stand to Gadge Maharaj bridge in Panchavati area. There are frequent traffic jams as vehicles are parked along the roads. Better parking facilities is the need of the hour, said Ahire.
Similarly, there are many wedding halls and lawns along the roads in the Panchavti areas of the city and they do not have proper parking. As a result, traffics jams take place there, which cause inconvenience to city residents. Hence, there is a need to focus on these issues, said Ahire.
The Currency Note Press (CNP) and India Security Press (CNP), which print currency notes of various denominations and security documents like stamp papers, respectively, are located in this constituency. Moreover, Nashik APMC, which supplies over 60% of vegetables to Mumbai, is also located in this constituency.
This constituency was the bastion of the Maharashtra navnirman Sena (MNS) between 2009 and 2014, when MNS was in power in the local civic body. Late Uttamrao Dhikle had won the Nashik East seat in 2009 on a MNS ticket. But the scenario rapidly changed in the next five years after BJPs Balasaheb Sanap won the Nashik East seat and BJP came into power in civic body in 2017.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...w/71283637.cms
Comment