Pune: SM Ghule Circle Expansion In NIBM Annexe Sparks Outrage; Citizens Claim Senior PMC Officials Were Kept In The Dark

The unauthorised expansion of SM Ghule Circle in Pune’s NIBM Annexe area has sparked outrage. Residents are criticising and are calling for legal action after revelations that junior officials in the PMC’s Road Department executed the project without informing their seniors.

Citizens are criticising the action by the junior PMC official, calling the action a blatant violation of constitutional principles, and are now demanding that FIRs be registered against those responsible.

Local residents, including Jaymala Dhankikar, Raj Singh, Ashok Mehendale, Uday Kulkarni and Sayali Gosavi, have jointly warned that the unauthorised expansion is not only unscientific and traffic-hostile, but also exposes the complete failure of internal governance within PMC.

The fact that senior civic officials were reportedly kept in the dark by their junior staff shows a lack of coordination and zero transparency.

'Breakdown of administrative discipline'

"Shocking breakdown of administrative discipline and a clear disregard for the Constitution of India and citizens’ rights, the circle was expanded without any public consultation, without prior approval of the traffic police and with zero transparency. If junior officials are making such critical decisions without informing their superiors, it reflects a collapse of both accountability and constitutional governance,” said social worker Raj Singh.

'We were not informed'

Jaymala Dhankikar, a resident, added, “We were not informed. We were not asked. Not a single citizen from the area was taken into confidence. What’s worse is that even senior officials in PMC and the traffic police appear to have been bypassed, which is not just irregular; it’s illegal.”

The expanded circle, residents say, creates visual obstructions, narrows critical junction points and disrupts the flow of traffic, particularly during school and office hours.

Uday Kulkarni, another resident, said, “This unapproved structure has turned a functional junction into a risk zone. It endangers lives daily.”

'Looking at criminal negligence'

Sayali Gosavi, a resident of the NIBM area, stressed the illegality of the project, saying, “We are looking at criminal negligence. If any accident occurs due to this reckless change, the officials responsible must face legal consequences under IPC sections related to public endangerment.”

“This isn’t a clerical lapse, this is a systemic breach of duty, carried out by officials who believed they could act above the law,” said Ashok Mehendale.

Demands of the residents:

- An immediate stay on all ongoing work at SM Ghule Circle.

- FIRs against the junior officials who acted without authority.

- A full administrative inquiry into how PMC leadership was bypassed.

- A third-party traffic and safety audit of the junction.

- Restoration of public consultation and transparency in future civic projects.

- If no action is taken, citizens have warned they will pursue the matter through RTIs, Lokayukta complaints and Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in court.