Gadkari Tears Into NMC Over Collapsing Civic Services, Orders Urgent Action on Nagpur Projects

Nagpur: Union minister for road transport and highways and Nagpur MP Nitin Gadkari came down heavily on the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) over the alarming deterioration of civic services in the city, especially the chronic water supply issues. He strongly criticised the civic body for failing to fulfill its promise of providing 24x7 water supply—an ambitious project launched over a decade ago.

Chairing a high-level review meeting, Gadkari expressed serious displeasure over the lack of basic services being provided to citizens and the poor condition of stormwater drains, particularly along roads developed under the Integrated Road Development Programme (IRDP).

He noted that, despite issuing repeated instructions in recent years to clean stormwater drains, residential monsoon drains, and sewerage lines, the civic administration had done little to address the issues. This continued negligence, he warned, leaves citizens highly vulnerable during the monsoon. He also stressed the immediate need to remove fallen tree trunks and clear roadside obstructions to prevent accidents.

Gadkari also reviewed the status of redevelopment works at Yashwant Stadium and Sokta Bhavan and directed both the NMC and the Maharashtra State Infrastructure Development Corporation (MSIDC) to complete the work within the stipulated timeline, warning against any further excuses. He also criticized the NMC's town planning department for delays in preparing the revised Development Plan (DP) for Nagpur city, instructing officials to expedite the process and submit it to the state government for final approval.

The Union minister also assessed the condition of key city markets—including Cotton Market, Santra Market, Netaji Market, Sakkardara Market, Dahi Bazaar, Mahal Market, and Pardi Market—and emphasized the urgent need for redevelopment and improved maintenance.

He expressed strong dissatisfaction with the current state of solid waste management in the city and questioned the effectiveness of the agencies appointed for garbage collection and processing.

Gadkari also sought updates on the delayed restoration works at Shukrawari Lake, Naik Lake, and Lendi Lake, all of which remain stuck due to bureaucratic hurdles. He discussed time extensions and environmental clearances related to the Jagewar Project and the Jagewar Kirana Merchant Association at Kalmana. He further flagged stalled proposals such as the development of Kalyaneshwar Temple and the establishment of a Science Centre at Babulpeth in North Nagpur. He also directed the civic body to push for the funding of Phase 5 of the road cementing works.

He lashed out at officials for the poor progress on establishing new firefighting systems and the pending procurement of fire tenders. Expressing concern over the city's lack of disaster preparedness, Gadkari also sought updates on rehabilitation measures for victims of the 2024 floods. He proposed waiving property taxes and service charges for the Disability Rehabilitation Centre located in the old T.B. ward area, as per provisions under the Maharashtra Municipal Corporation Act.

Gadkari further took note of the hundreds of houses built by the Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT) in Nandanvan, Trimurti Nagar, and Kalamna that remain locked and unused. He demanded immediate action on the massive backlog of lease regularisations—over 80,000 plots currently pending with the NIT.

The meeting was attended by key bureaucrats, including municipal commissioner Abhijeet Chaudhari, collector Vipin Itankar, and NIT chairman Sanjay Meena, along with senior BJP leaders such as MLA Pravin Datke, MLC Sandip Joshi, former MLAs Vikas Kumbhare and Sudhakar Deshmukh, and former mayor Dayashankar Tiwari.

Gadkari's scathing review reflected growing frustration within the BJP over the NMC's continued failures, with strong indications that civic mismanagement could become a central issue in the upcoming NMC elections.

Fadnavis Janata Darbar Today

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis will hold a Janata Darbar at the CM's secretariat, Hyderabad House, on Sunday. The public interaction session will take place from 12pm to 1.30 pm, during which the CM will personally receive grievances and submissions from citizens.

The CM's secretariat has urged citizens to reach the venue on time and carry all relevant documents to support their submissions. The session aims to strengthen direct communication between the public and the administration.