Assembly Elections: Politicians Ignore IT Professionals' Expectations

Pimpri-Chinchwad, which has a reputation as an industrial city, has an IT park. It gave the city a new identity. The offices of national and internationally renowned companies were held here. Naturally, IT employees working in these companies settled in Pimpri-Chinchwad city in large numbers.

The construction business here got a boost as the working class of IT took up houses here. There was also a big increase in municipal income taxes. Not only that, but this class is the highest income tax payer. Therefore, the victory of the candidates in the industrial city will also depend on how the IT'ians, who contribute to the economy of the constituency as a whole, look at the assembly elections.

Public transport, water, health, education, environment and urban development are important issues for the citizens of the city.
Pimpri-Chinchwad has three assembly segments - Bhosari, Pimpri and Chinchwad.

A part of Tathavade is in the Bhor-Velhe-Mulshi constituency, but rest all the four constituencies have a large number of IT professionals. This includes it classes ranging from young people in their 20s to their 50s.

This includes voters who have settled in Pimpri-Chinchwad for the last two decades as well as newly registered ITIANS here. For them, basic amenities like roads, public transport, water, health, education, environment, urban development are important for IT'ians.

It is important to improve the public transport system like PMPML, Metro, Local. Itians are suffering as the work on the Hinjewadi-Shivajinagar Metro itself has taken a long time. At present, the Hinjewadi-Bhosari-Chakan metro line has been promised in the run-up to the elections. But is this assurance only for elections? IT'ians are skeptical of this.

A large section of IT people live in the suburbs of Pimple Saudagar, Pimple Nilakh, Wakad, Punawale, Tathavade, Hinjewadi, Ravet, Charholi and Moshi. However, most of these suburbs lack roads, water, footpaths and parks.

Due to the poor roads and narrow subways, traffic congestion, health issues and deteriorating quality of life have left the IT professionals living here in a state of shock. The water problem that arises here in the summer is also serious.

All these issues are only being promised to be resolved. However, the actual work is not being done. So, will the newly elected representatives develop these areas? That's the question the IT professionals who live here are asking.

"Where people need to be used to generate taxes, all parties are trying to provide free schemes. However, no one is paying attention to the issues of good roads, efficient public transport and proper educational facilities for the taxpayers from whom the funds come.

No steps are being taken to solve their problems. There is also no guarantee that if a candidate is elected, he will remain in that party. So the only question is who to vote for," says Nilesh Pandit, IT Engineer, Pimple Saudagar.

"Despite taking houses in the suburbs and paying property tax, our area lacks facilities like roads, transport, water, sewage system. None of this work has been done in years. It has been a year since the garbage depot in Pune was cancelled. However, there is no movement on the construction of an oxygen park here. Even in this election, promises are being made," says Vitthal Baral, IT Engineer, Punawale

"Day-to-day water supply, frequent power outages and bad roads are common issues. It takes a long time to get to the office due to bad roads. If you do 'work from home', there are frequent power outages. We have been getting water supply on a day-to-day basis for the past several years and there is no assurance as to when it will be restored", said Pooja Madhale, IT Engineer, Nigdi