Pune: Mohammadwadi-Undri Residents Demand Answers: ₹200 Crore In Taxes, Yet No CCTV After 10 Years

Pune | August 4, 2025

In what residents are calling a complete collapse of administrative accountability, authorities in Pune’s rapidly growing Mohammadwadi Undri area have failed for over a decade to install basic CCTV surveillance — despite collecting over ₹200 crore in property and development taxes from the locality.

Fed-up citizens have now renewed their demand for immediate installation of 50 state-of-the-art CCTV cameras across high-risk areas, accusing both the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and city police of “criminal negligence” and ignoring repeated pleas for public safety infrastructure.

Critical Points of Concern

Residents are demanding CCTV coverage across:

• Anandvan Chowk to Lavanya Veg Restaurant
• SM Ghule Chowk to Marvel Sangria
• SM Ghule Chowk to Kingston Atlantis Amenity Plot
• Tribeca Mall Chowk to Elina Living Housing and the adjacent forest patch
• Archana Kohinoor 
• Raheja Reserve 
• Palace Orchard To Kad Nagar Chowk 
• Mohamadwadi Chowk to Undri Marg 
• Undri Marg to Dhruv School and Undri Smashanbhoomi 
• Punekar Chowk to Dhruv School 
• Mohamadwadi Chowk to Handewadi Chowk (Dhanashree Aangan) 

These routes are either poorly lit, sparsely monitored, or close to forested areas — making them frequent targets for chain snatching, theft, and trespassing.

“If ₹200 Crore Isn’t Enough, What Is?” — Residents Slam PMC, Police

Jaymala Dhankikar, a prominent citizen activist, delivered a scathing rebuke of the authorities, “This is not just failure — this is betrayal. We’ve paid over ₹200 crore in taxes, and we don’t even have CCTV cameras to show for it. What exactly is the PMC doing with our money? Decorating Mantralaya while ignoring citizens?”

“We have written more than 25 letters and emails over the last 10 years — to the CMO, Home Department, PMC Commissioner, and the Police Commissioner. Not one has responded with action. Not one. Are they waiting for a woman to be assaulted before they act?. If anything happens now, the PMC and police will be directly responsible — and we will make sure this goes to court and media at every level, ” she added. 

Other Residents Echo the Anger

Social worker Ashok Mehendale said, “They have turned Mohammadwadi into a tax-paying colony without rights. You see towers going up every day, but not a single rupee of that development shows up in security or basic amenities.”

Hussain Shaikh, a resident of Ganga Kingston, added, “What good is a Smart City tag if women can’t walk after sunset and police have no eyes on the ground? Installing cameras now is not a favour — it’s a decade-late necessity.”

Sadik Khan, a resident of Ganga Florentina, pointed out the economic risk, “Even the forest patch behind Elena Housing is turning into a haven for anti-social elements. Residents, including children and seniors, walk there daily. If cameras aren’t installed immediately, any incident will be blood on the authorities’ hands.”

Repeated Pleas, Repeated Silence

Residents have documented over 25 formal complaints, RTI filings, and petitions sent since 2015. These included:

• Maps marking danger zones
• Requests for mobile police units
• Proposals for joint citizen–PMC surveillance funding
• No action was taken.
• Citizens Demand Immediate Action
• Residents are now demanding the following:
• Installation of 50 high-definition CCTV cameras with night vision.
• Live monitoring by local police.
• Monthly status reports on camera functionality.
• Public timeline for additional infrastructure (lights, patrolling).
• Accountability hearings with PMC ward officers and police inspectors.

Final Warning from Citizens

“This is the last time we’re asking nicely,” said Dhankikar. “From next week, if cameras are not installed, we will protest at PMC headquarters and file a PIL in the Bombay High Court. You cannot take ₹200 crore from people and then ignore their right to basic safety,” she added. 

She further expressed serious concern over a recent late-night brawl outside Golden Bakery near Kingston Court. She questioned the absence of police patrolling in the area during the incident and highlighted the repeated neglect of residents’ demands for CCTV surveillance. “PMC keeps citing budget constraints, but how can public safety be compromised like this?” she asked. Dhankikar emphasized that such incidents are becoming more frequent and called it a failure of both law enforcement and civic authorities. “This is unacceptable. How will hooliganism be curbed if there’s no accountability? Shame on PMC,” she added.