Pune: Maharashtra Govt Under Fire As Congress Leader Jairam Ramesh Claims 50 Companies Have Left Chakan

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh recently criticised the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Mahayuti government, claiming that around 50 companies have moved to other states from Pune's Chakan due to poor road infrastructure. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), he wrote, "Pune's Chakan industrial area is currently witnessing a mass exodus of manufacturing units due to problems caused by poor road infrastructure. Despite ongoing roadwork, basic issues of traffic congestion and potholes continue to plague the area. This has not only caused frequent traffic jams but also a worrying increase in the number of accidents, and the absence of traffic police at important junctions has only exacerbated the problem. This has led to disruptions in production schedules as the movement of raw materials to factories and the transportation of finished goods have been severely hampered."

"Even after repeated complaints to the Pune Police, and many meetings with officials from the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC), no meaningful progress has been made. Now, around 50 manufacturing units have relocated to other states like Gujarat, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh," he added.

He raised questions to the state and central governments, saying, "Is the Mahayuti government doing anything to stop this mass exodus of manufacturing units from Pune? What does the non-biological PM have to say about all the jobs that have been lost due to his government's negligence?"

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Dilip Batwal, Secretary, Federation of Chakan Industries, speaking to a Marathi newspaper, said the claims made by the senior Congress leader aren't false. "Many companies have moved out of Chakan to other states and several others are looking for land in other states. This is happening due to poor infrastructure and traffic congestion in the area. Due to the traffic congestion, the workers in these companies are wasting nearly two to three hours on a daily basis and this is causing an impact on the production," he added.

Meanwhile, NCP (SP) Working President and Baramati MP Supriya Sule has also questioned the state government. Taking to X on Monday, she wrote, "Not one or two, 50 companies have moved out of Chakan MIDC, one of the most popular MIDCs in Maharashtra. This is the situation in industrially prosperous Maharashtra. Industries move out only when you don't provide them with the right infrastructure. Due to the huge traffic congestion and lack of infrastructure in the last few years, entrepreneurs are facing difficulties in continuing their business here. The role of the state government is indifferent even after making constant demands. Due to this, this situation has arisen and the employment rights of the state have gone out of the state. What do the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Ministers and Industry Minister have to say about this?"

NCP (SP) leader and Shirur MP Amol Kolhe also targeted the state government on the issue. "The Maharashtra government and MIDC should reflect on what is going wrong with Chakan MIDC. Over the past few years, industries have migrated from Chakan MIDC, with around 50 industries moving to neighbouring states. When an industry leaves, it not only takes state revenue with it but also employment opportunities, causing many locals to lose their jobs. If this exodus continues, it won't be long before this MIDC shuts down. If we examine why this situation has arisen, it becomes evident that the government has never seriously addressed the infrastructure needs of the industries. They should have considered and acted on the comprehensive transport plan we suggested, including railway facilities, runways for air transport, and routes to easily access ports for water transport," he wrote on X.