Three years after the state government’s Planning Department assured timely civic upgrades for Nagpur on March 28, 2022, the city has received a mere ₹5 crore — a token release that underscores the neglect of Maharashtra’s second capital. The amount is just a fraction of what was promised, leaving city officials frustrated and opposition leaders fuming.
The latest order, issued this month, authorises the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) to undertake minor patchwork, drainage fixes, and road concreting in old city areas such as Mahal, Tandapeth, and Juni Mangalwari. However, civic engineers admit the sum is too meagre to address even basic repairs in a city riddled with potholes, waterlogging, and crumbling drains.
Since 2022, the state has sanctioned over ₹1,900 crore worth of civic projects for Nagpur on paper, but less than ₹50 crore — barely 3% — has actually been released. In one case last year, ₹411 crore was allotted, yet only ₹22 lakh reached NMC accounts. The result: half-finished roads, stalled drainage projects, and worsening sanitation.
Urban planners say the release exposes the absence of a long-term vision for Nagpur’s infrastructure despite its growing population and industrial ambitions. Dividing ₹5 crore among 45 micro-projects, they warn, is “symbolic development at best.”
North Nagpur MLA Dr. Nitin Raut slammed the state for “deliberate discrimination,” saying that even his 2023 flood-control proposal was rejected. “It’s ironic that Nagpur, represented by both the Chief Minister and Union Minister, continues to face civic decay. If they can’t prioritise their own city, it’s truly unfortunate,” he said.
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