Nagpur Roads Blocked by Pandals and Encroachments; NMC Faces Criticism Over Enforcement Gaps Nagpur’s municipal authorities faced mounting pressure as city roads were increasingly occupied by wedding pandals, religious processions, and illegal encroachments, sparking a heated debate in the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) general body. Corporators from across political parties accused the administration of failing to enforce regulations, with allegations of selective enforcement and official complicity in allowing violations to persist. The discussion, held on Wednesday, highlighted the growing chaos caused by unauthorized structures, hawkers, and temporary installations that disrupted traffic and emergency access. The debate began with complaints about the routine use of public roads for private events, particularly wedding pandals and religious processions, which were said to block key intersections and create daily traffic bottlenecks. IUML corporator Aslam Khan criticized the lack of strict penalties for decorators, while Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Kishore Kumeriya pointed to religious processions choking critical junctions. He called for a uniform permission policy to manage such events. The discussion quickly expanded to encroachments, with corporators citing widespread illegal markets and temporary structures in areas like Mahal, Sitabuldi, and IT Park Road. BJP corporator Sanjay Balpande highlighted the surge in encroachments, particularly in central Nagpur, where illegal markets had proliferated around landmarks such as Rajwada Palace. He noted that nearly 56 illegal markets operate across the city, including a weekly stretch from Santra Market to Natthi Chowk.#sanjay_balpande #nagpur_municipal_corporation #nmc #aslam_khan #kishore_kumeriya
Standing Panel To Probe Underbids In Cement Rd Works The Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s standing committee has directed a thorough investigation into cement concrete (CC) road projects awarded at 30% to 40% below the estimated cost. The decision came after heated discussions over two proposals where contractors had quoted nearly 40% less than the projected expenses. Standing committee chairperson Shivani Dani Wakhare mandated the public works department to submit a detailed report covering the last three financial years, specifically asking how many work orders were awarded to contractors who submitted bids 30% to 40% below the estimated cost. Congress corporators Wasim Khan and Abhijeet Jha raised concerns about the feasibility of ensuring quality construction at such drastically reduced rates. Dani Wakhare also sought information on whether projects faced delays due to contractors struggling to execute work at lower rates and whether additional bills were submitted later to recover losses. A third-party audit of all works awarded at steeply reduced rates was ordered, with officials instructed to identify cases of substandard work and take strict action, including blacklisting contractors and holding officials accountable for irregularities. The issue gained attention after corporator Aslam Khan alleged that a contractor working on a 800-meter road in Ekta Nagar stalled the project after completing 75% of the work, citing fund shortages. The road, awarded at Rs50 lakh, now requires an additional Rs25 lakh to finish, including interlocking blocks on the footpath. Dani Wakhare directed a probe into this case.#nagpur_municipal_corporation #wasim_khan #shivani_dani_wakhare #abhijeet_jha #aslam_khan
