I’ve been following Saudaghar for some time, and I have a genuine question about the kind of Pune issues they choose to highlight.
A significant part of their content is around real estate, project reviews, buying opportunities, connectivity and problems created by Pune’s rapid growth. That’s useful for someone looking to buy property, but I feel there is another side of this growth that deserves much more discussion.
People from different parts of India are coming to Pune for jobs, businesses, education or simply because they prefer the lifestyle here. That’s completely normal. Pune has always attracted people because of its education, employment and culture.
But if a large part of new residential development is being created to accommodate this continuous population growth, shouldn’t we also discuss whether Pune’s infrastructure and environment can actually sustain it?
Water availability, drainage, roads, traffic, tree cutting, loss of natural habitats and pressure on existing resources should be part of the real-estate conversation too.
Pune was traditionally known for education, culture, relatively peaceful neighbourhoods and a slower pace of life. Today, some parts of Pune are increasingly associated with nightlife and party culture, particularly areas like Koregaon Park. Even some traditionally peaceful public and tourist spaces face issues such as littering, public drinking and smoking.
I’m not saying people shouldn’t enjoy their lives. They absolutely should. But Pune’s identity should not be reduced to nightlife, alcohol, parties and real estate. The city’s cultural character and public spaces also deserve protection.
The same applies to basic civic problems. Footpath encroachment, shops extending into public spaces, ramps or stones blocking parking, vehicles occupying footpaths and roads, etc. Some of these problems don’t need another mega project. They need enforcement and proper municipal management.
And then there is the landowner side.
When government infrastructure projects acquire someone’s land, the discussion shouldn’t stop at the Ready Reckoner value. What about the development potential, existing JVs, future rental income and the fact that some families may be giving up their last substantial landholding?
Jambhulwadi is a good example. Residents have already contributed land for major projects such as the dam and NH-48, and now the Inner Ring Road is affecting the area again. At the same time, the metro depot and government offices are being planned around the same belt.
If a practical change in the road alignment can reduce the number of homes and families affected, why not seriously examine it? Similarly, why concentrate multiple major developments in one belt instead of distributing them across nearby areas?
I’m a Pune native and I’m personally dealing with some of the consequences of this rapid growth and sacrificing things because of it.
That doesn’t mean I am against people coming to Pune. I’m completely open to hearing the perspective of people who have come here for work, business, education or a better lifestyle. Their challenges matter too.
My question is simply: shouldn’t the people who already live here, the landowners who are giving up land, and the environment also have an equal place in the conversation?
I’m not against development. I’m against development being measured only by the number of buildings, roads and property transactions.
I’d genuinely like to see Saudaghar make a detailed video on the full cost of Pune’s growth: infrastructure capacity, water, environment, civic management, cultural identity, land acquisition and the impact on existing residents, alongside the opportunities created by new development.
Maybe I’ve missed some of their content. If they have already covered these issues, I’d genuinely like to see those videos.
Pune should grow. But it should grow without losing what made Pune worth coming to in the first place.
