Pune: Persistent Efforts By Handewadi Residents Pay Off As PMC Clears Way For Long-Pending Gas Connections

Pune, June 9: Years of follow-ups, representations and community action by residents of Handewadi have finally yielded results, with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) granting permission for Maharashtra Natural Gas Limited (MNGL) to undertake pipeline work required for providing long-awaited piped gas connections in the area.

The PMC’s Road Department has approved excavation work at several locations in Handewadi, including stretches near Handewadi Chowk, Serenity Society Chowk, Sarvoday Building Chowk, Shivam Society and surrounding areas. The work will facilitate the extension and completion of the underground gas distribution network.

For residents, the approval marks a significant breakthrough in a matter that has remained unresolved for several years. Although gas pipelines were laid in parts of Handewadi as early as 2019, many housing societies have continued to wait for actual gas connections.

According to Ashish Ingale of the Handewadi Residents Association, residents have been consistently pursuing the issue with MNGL and civic authorities since 2022. Multiple housing societies joined hands to raise the matter through meetings, written representations and a protest demonstration organised earlier this year.

Residents said they were repeatedly informed that the project was awaiting civic permissions and that road-related technical issues had delayed the remaining work. However, sustained engagement with authorities and continued pressure from local residents ultimately helped move the proposal forward.

Rohan Jatkar, a resident of Venkatesh Classic Co-operative Housing Society, said several societies had regularly submitted letters and emails to PMC and MNGL since 2023. A subsequent survey conducted across nearly 20 housing societies indicated strong demand for piped natural gas connections among residents.

Under the approved plan, excavation work covering approximately 45 metres in length and 0.75 metres in width will be carried out to facilitate the pipeline network. PMC has directed the executing agency to implement all necessary safety measures, including barricading, warning signage and coordination with traffic authorities to minimise inconvenience to commuters.

The civic body has also made it mandatory for the contractor to restore the excavated road surface to its original condition once the work is completed. Authorities have warned that failure to comply with the stipulated conditions could result in cancellation of the permission and legal action under relevant municipal regulations.

Residents have welcomed the development, describing it as a victory for collective community action. With the pending permissions now in place, housing societies in Handewadi are hopeful that piped gas connections will soon become a reality after years of waiting.

The project is expected to strengthen gas infrastructure in one of Pune’s rapidly growing residential corridors and improve access to cleaner and more convenient cooking fuel for hundreds of families in the area.