Pune’s Chakan industrialists put decision to shift out on hold after minister assurance

A day following Maharashtra Industries Minister Uday Samant's assurance to address their infrastructure grievances, the industrialists in Chakan MIDC who had threatened to relocate have opted to suspend their plans temporarily. They clarified that they will pursue relocation if the government fails to fulfill its promise. Following our discussion with the Minister, the industries that had initially planned to move out have halted their decision.

This decision will remain suspended for a duration of ten months, as the state government has vowed to address all their demands within that period.

Shantanu Kulkarni, president of the Chakan Industrial Association, communicated to The Indian Express on Monday that the industries' decision to postpone their relocation is contingent upon the government meeting their expectations within the specified timeframe. Kulkarni expressed satisfaction with the government's response, commending their prompt action, thorough listening, and decisive measures.

He particularly appreciated Deputy Chief Minister Ekanth Shinde's response, noting his sense of urgency and positive demeanor during their meeting.

Kulkarni recounted that the industries had been protesting the absence of adequate facilities in Chakan industrial area for over a year, staging a morcha in their initial efforts to bring attention to their issues. It was only after 20 industrialists adopted a firm stance that the government took swift and decisive action. The state government subsequently announced a committee, led by the Pune district collector, to investigate the industrialists' concerns and resolve their grievances. The committee will convene weekly meetings to address the industrialists' demands.

Last week, owners of 20 industrial units had declared their intent to relocate from Chakan to Khandala MIDC in Satara. They were grappling with numerous challenges, including traffic congestion, potholes, inadequate parking, subpar power supply, and water scarcity. These issues had significantly impacted their daily operations, creating daily traffic jams along the Pune-Nashik highway between Bhosari and Chakan, which stretched the journey from 5 kilometers to 2 to 4 hours.

This situation had adversely affected company production and left the industrialists in a dire state akin to one in critical condition.

NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar criticized the government's approach to addressing the industries' problems, asserting that they had ignored the demands of the industrialists for years until their threat to relocate prompted action. He accused Uday Samant, the state's Industry Minister for five years, of being preoccupied with politics rather than addressing business and public interests.

Pawar questioned Samant's commitment to industrial development, expressing disappointment that while he made numerous vague promises, no concrete actions had been taken.