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“Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.” … Jane Jacobs
This quote I have used many times but then some phrases or say sentences or words we can use many times yet they don’t lose the charm or the wisdom they provide, like we say “Don’t worry, sub thik ho jayega”, same is with above sentence, especially when the topic is about the city! And, the writer is like my mentor (nowadays, we can’t even dare to use some name even for example as we don't know whose sentiments will get hurt by use of that name). Ok, when my friend and fellow builder, (well, builders also can be friends with each other’s) Mr Sunil Kotwal called/wrote me about Credai Maharashtra Magazine & the topic he wanted to cover is about Pune region’s growth (or development) & can I write about it, few memories floated in-front of my eyes! First of them was, image of boy coming from Amravati (Vidarbha) to this city nearly 37 years back came to my mind, it was Summer & the first letter I wrote to my mother was, aai, hya gawala unhalach nahi” i.e., “Mom, there is no summer in this city” & then last month (April 23) when I stepped in flight to Pune from Nagpur, air hostess announced temperature of Nagpur as 39 degrees & when I landed in Pune, the airhostess announced, outside temperature 41 degrees! Well, I can see frowning faces of my colleagues & fellow builders as it’s not very cheering start for describing growth or development about the city but I take this as an opportunity to share (to warn) my views about what we should call as a growth & not just swelling, so please bear with it! And then some temperature scale isn’t going to stop mad-rush of all age group’s population towards Pune, is also a fact, so don’t worry, lol!
Ok, here is another floating memory about Pune, I travel a lot in Central Indian Forests & some four years back I went to Kanha Forest where a family-owned resort I usually stay. The owner's family came to meet me one evening knowing I am from Nagpur & now settled in Pune & have some good business there (lol), and they wanted to know about arrangements of their kids for education in Pune. I asked what college they wanted to get admission in, to which the lady replied, not college, they are in 8th & 9th std respectively! And here is one more memory, then we will turn to present tense as all these memories do matter & are very much related to the subject of sharing, so please forgive my memory show, is a request! As a speaker (again lol) on Credai forum, I have gone to a nearby district place which is hardly one & half hour drive from Pune. Post lecture on a casual discussion, a businessman was complaining, “aho, tumachya Punyachya craze payi, ithalya mulana laganala muli mialt nanhit bagha, sagalya mulina punyatalach nawara pahije”. Well, difficult to translate, yet what he was telling the grooms in that town are not getting brides as all the marriage aspiring girls wanted a groom from Pune only, such is the craze of Pune! Now, last memory, one of my engg friends is at a very high position in an MNC which has units at Pune & in rural of State, somewhere 250 km away from Pune. He said, even with a double salary offer the engineers are not ready to go to his rural unit which is away from Pune & the same candidate is ready to work in Pune at half salary!
Guys, if you are bored with memories, I just wanted to tell you , this is growth, development, success of Pune, as 35 years back when I wanted to come in Pune for my engg studies, my parents were warned by people, as don’t sent you only son (I got a sister but you know emotions about son in our society) so far, why can’t you get him admission in nearby college & see the recent memories or incidences, this is what Pune has achieved in last three decades, base of which was in making, well before what it has reached today. Every time when someone asks me what is backbone or USP or Strong Point of Pune, my answer is, the social life & culture this city offers to its residence, that is why Pune is dear to every visitor especially North & Central Indian residents as with due respect, this is what they miss (mainly women) in their respective region! If you think I am insulting those parts of our country, well, first, I am myself from that region & second ask any lady from Central/ North India, who now stays in Pune about her experiences with society at large at both places & then blame me for my comment! Once you come to this city for any reason, may it be work, travel, education, then you feel like staying here more, & the reason is the lifestyle this city offers to you on the platter!
I presume at Credai CRM, we are featuring every City/ Place in the State so as people should know good as well bad about the place & more important our fellow members must understand strong & weak points of the city, they are doing business in so we can strengthen the weak points & make our strong points stronger by giving right attention to them, that’s why I am elaborating these aspects! As real estate deals with local place & its roots, as here is where people will come & settle with their families, it's not just a home with good specifications or a premium work space we build is enough to make the real estate industry grow but something more than that is needed or else they will go to some other place, this is what has happened all around the world & no city or town is exception for this law of growth, not even Pune!
No wonder, with the culture & social life this region has, for many rural as well underdeveloped region citizens, Pune is land of opportunity in the same way USA is for the entire world & migration is boon as well curse for Pune (as well for other real estate centres too). As the city bosses (read as UD, PMC, PCMC etc) never imagined the speed with which it is growing (or say has grown), toppling every infrastructure front of which water & traffic & garbage are front runners! If the city provides education as well as jobs to millions of humans, then these millions of humans need water, drainage, roads, transport, public health facilities & yes space of their own, in their budget too! As well, these millions are going to generate garbage from their lifestyle & blow smoke via their private vehicles, & we need to make them aware about their responsibilities towards the city, which is a must do thing for every that person or system which thinks about a better future of this city! Just a decade back water storage was never a problem in Pune region but now we are facing the heat of water cuts & future is tough, as sources of water are restricted but the population is ever increasing; so we must work on solutions from today only! Same is with traffic, as more roads means more vehicles & the traffic congestion problem will keep increasing in multiplying-way unless we make our public transport strong & in time! And yes, the green cover as well as public places, which are a must for any human settlement to prosper over a long period, we must not forget this aspect of the city!
Last & most important aspect which Credai must think on is connectivity to other places as try getting tickets for next day’s train to any destination from Pune & see what reply you get, train is full, is the outcome! Same story with air-port & private bus service is unsafe, so this is something Credai Pune must work on by chasing authorities in the right direction, at least we must try! Because we (read as Credai Pune & other centres too), must contribute in every possible social issue of the respective city as an individual as well as an association, so that the society will feel that we are not just money-making machines but we care for the culture of the city also & adds to it by our contributions. The city which has become a region now, is no longer a town or pensioner’s city or cyclist’s city which it was popular for & we must try to regain that charm as this is where our future belongs. Pune has got everything to become (or it is already) an ideal region for settlement, our duty is to see that we also give back to the region, instead just taking benefits from it!
Urbanization is a boon only if its handled (read as controlled) in right way & no one else but we ourselves can decide our right way, is what I will like to share before I conclude. Just because there is three times FSI/TOD/Premium you can build, but is it a must thing that you should build all of that sq fts! High time to ask yourself (all you so called health-conscious guys), just because some dinner is free, do you keep hogging till your stomach explodes; no, is the answer, right? Then, why we must cover every sq. inch of the plot with concrete & use that last drop of FSI, as if just by building some sq fts less, is going to benefit the city at large, let’s do it! Do mind, the Govt is happy feeding us FSI, just the way an Halwai is happy selling his sweets, but in the end its our body which will collapse due to diabetes & over weight & not of the halwai's; mind it Punekars (not just builders), is all I will share to conclude for the better & healthy future of this wonderful city which is Pune region now!
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Sanjay Deshpande
Sanjeevani Dev.
Please view my sharing about real estate in Pune at You Tube link below..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4xX7eopH5o&t=5s
Please do visit my blog links below to read about real estate & home buying!
https://visonoflife.blogspot.com/2023/01/defining-good-home-real-estate-in-2023.html
http://jivnachadrushtikon.blogspot.com/2023/02/blog-post.html
Creating Togetherness; team Sanjeevani Way (Click link below)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/65629150@N06/albums/72157627904681345
For any of your complaints about city, log in at link below
www.punecorporation.org
Take your issues to Hon PM at link below..
Think Green, Think Life
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Awesome as usual... Prashant Shirke (Shifted to Mumbai) pvsllh@gmail.com
ReplyDeletethanks a ton prashant, your appreciation is always motivating !!
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