NCP's Kakade blames CM for depriving Pune of 80,000 flats

Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) chairman Ankush Kakade on Thursday alleged that Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad are being deprived of an opportunity to get 80,000 flats for the last three years only because of the apathy on the part of chief minister Prithviraj Chavan.

Kakade, along with NCP leaders in the city, staged a daylong token hunger strike in front of his own MHADA office near Pune railway station. The demonstration aimed at attracting the attention of the government towards its apathy in framing rules for the decision on granting 2.5 FSI (Floor Space Index) to MHADA colonies.

Kakade said there are 80 Mhada colonies in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad spread over 200 acres. He said the government had contemplated granting 2.5 FSI to existing Mhada colonies and buildings while going for re-development. This would not only help all residents of Mhada colonies but also new projects. Kakade said the framing of rules would pave way for making available 80,000 flats in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad.

City mayor Chanchala Kodre along with standing committee chairman Vishal Tambe, NCP group leader in PMC Subhash Jagtap, many of the corporators backed Kakade by participating in the demonstrations.

Kaskade said then chief minister Ashok Chavan had given in-principle sanction to granting 2.5 FSI to Mhada colonies in Pune.