After good interactive session under “Walk and Talk with Mayorâ€, Mayor Sandeep Joshi is now all set with ‘Breakfast with Mayor’. The first session under this programme was conducted today morning at Central office, Hirvadi at 8 am.
The programme is initiated to promote public participation in city development. For the programme Mayor invited 200 volunteers from different organisations to get their suggestions and concepts.
At the outset, Mayor Sandeep Joshi elaborated on the concept behind the initiative. We are listening to the suggestions of citizens through various initiatives such as ‘Walk and Talk with Mayor’, ‘Zone Meetings’ and ‘Breakfast with Mayor’ for our emphasis on public participation in urban development.
During Breakfast with Mayor’, various issues and aspects were brought that included condition and lack of public toilets in the city.
Taking serious note on this, Mayor said that an amount of Rs 5 crore from the Mayor’s fund will be used for the installation of public toilets in main places and markets in the city.
During the occasion, Deputy Mayor Manisha Khote, Commissioner Abhijit Bangar, ruling party deputy Balya Borkar, Varsha Thackeray, senior councilor Dayashankar Tiwari, Sunil Agarwal, Pratod Divya Dhurde, health chairperson Virendra Kukareja, corporator Nishenta Gandhi, additional councilor Nishwant Gandhi. Commissioner Ram Joshi, Jayesh Bhandarkar of the Police Department Traffic Branch were present.
Information boxes have been set up at around six places in the city and people have also been requested through various medium to put in their suggestions and issues in the box.
Also, a ‘grievance redressal camp’ has been organized on December 12 to solve the city problems. On the basis of suggestions given by the people, a ‘blueprint’ of city development will be created and the work will be done accordingly, said Mayor Sandeep Joshi.
Following this, representatives of NGOs presented concepts and suggestions for city development Ramdaspeth Plot Owners Association ‘s Harjitsingh Bagga requested mayor to think about the stray dogs. Kaushab Chatterjee of Green Vigil Foundation raised the issue of city’s decolonization by advertising on trees.
Attendees raised the issue of public access toilets in the city. In addition to this, the citizens suggested taking a serious not regarding the encroachment on footpaths and the broken sidewalk. Vivek Ranade of CAG Group addressed the problem of car parking on small streets in front of the house at night. He advised that such vehicles should be fined.
Mayor Sandeep Joshi said he is taking note of the suggestions made by the citizens. A meeting was held on the sidewalk on Friday and funds worth Rs 6 crore were made available immediately. A special campaign is being made to deal with pavement encroachment.
Mayor further added that a manager will be appointed for public toilets who will look after the maintenance. In case of any wrong practice, one should inform the Municipal Administration following acting on which their contract will be canceled.
A program for beautifying the city squares will also be organized soon. Mayor Sandeep Joshi appealed that as citizens we should also be involved in the city development process.
Commissioner Abhijit Bangar said, “We are working on every complaint and suggestion.” Where to work is to stay within the framework of the law. But we are constantly striving for the betterment of the city and the better service of our citizens.
He said the suggestions on health and education were welcome and that the CBSE school would be started soon. He believes that if we all start doing their bit then this city will be number one in cleanliness.
Highlights of the ‘Breakfast with Mayor’ event
- Restrictions on car parking in front of homes
- Every homeowner should adopt 2 feet of clean space in front of their house.
- Â Manure from dung wastes of cows and buffaloes
- A vigilance committee should be appointed from the Municipal Initiative to work against the exploitation of students.
- Set up a separate garden for the disables. There should be special internet cafes too.
- Such interactive programs should take place in every ward in the presence of the Authorities.
- Zebra crossings at each intersection with traffic signals, stop lines should be made.
- Delete or remove parking spaces in metro corridors to increase public transport use.
- R. Pa. In order to justify Samarth’s birth anniversary, the Ram Samartha Chitnis Park should be beautified.
- Â Protection of water resources in the city.
- Optional seats should be provided for hawkers.
- Start the eating lanes near Gandhiji.
- Create a ‘special app’ for closed traffic signal information and proper transmission.
- The closed schools should be converted into libraries or modernized old libraries.
- Â There should be separate public toilets for the third gender.