11 Developments which will transform Wakad living experience

August 8, 2009 at 12:37 pm (Analysis, facilities, Food)

Latest Updates :

a) Ginger Hotel near Wakad underpass over is operational now.

b) Natural’s icecream is opening an outlet by Jan 2010 this really helps.near Saundarya Garden ( On the right after you get down from Wakad Fyover towards Hinjawadi

c) Hyundai showroom opposite Sayajii is operational now.

d) CAD -B, CAD-M is operational near wakad underpass.

e) XEON multiplex near Hotel Marriot is structurally complete and I guess should be ready to host movies this spring

f) Dominoes pizzas got operational

g) New Poona bakery got operational , there food plaza is being developed . It will be one stop shop for all eating needs.

h) Hotel Shaurya near to Wakad chowk is operational now. It looks like a good restaurant.

There are some developments in this area which probably can transform  the living conditions of people living here.Some already are Here they are :

  1. Wakad Tourist center(Recreation): This is situated on bank of river Mula and is adjacent to Bombay – Bangalore Highway if you move from Wakad bridge towards Baner. Touted to be made at a cost of approx 2 crores, this place approachable from Wakad chowk will have boating facility, a well landscaped park and snacking center. The nearby Mhatoba temple may alos attract a lot many people. Whats most likeable about this place is the structural design. The pillars for all huts mock a tree trunk. Boating , once operational will really make it a place worth visiting.
  2. Xion Multiplex : This multiplex has its basement and mezzanine floor slab completed as on 7Aug o9. It is located on the right hand side if you drive a km from Wakad bridge towards Hinjawadi Chowk. Currently , the nearest multiplex E Square or Big Cinema multiplex Chinchwad are respectively 7km and 11km away. This will provide an entertainment option to all denizens within 2 -3 km for all wakadkars. Its expected to be operational by end of 2010.
  3. Club 29:   A high end club replete with Squash court, Tennis court, Air Hockey, Banquet hall, Disc, Proper swimming pool is being developed by Mont Vert behind Caprrichio on Wakad Thergaon Road. This club probably will meet all the clubbing needs of the people living here
  4. Omega Mall: This is proposed to be developed in the Omega paradise complex and will be a 4 storey mall . If housing Big bajaar and More will help the Wakad citizens avoid a trip to Baner Aundh for picking quality groceries 
  5. Blue Ridge  and Megapolis Townships: This residential scheme from Paranjpe’s probably is the best planned residential township in Pune. Designed to house Archery Range, Golf course, An Artificial lake, An international school and a multiplex, this will truly bring global living experience near Wakad. The commercial estate and roads are expected to be world class. This society along with Megapolis further in Hinjawadi will provide a lot of sporting, entertainment and shopping options to Wakad residents who are now sick of tastelss Aundh and cramped Chinchwad.
  6. Nasik -Wakad BRTS Corriodor : This besides providing a much sought public transport alternative will help widen the much encroached Kalewadi – Kaspate Wasti road. Road widening will proabably decongest this road and remove the slums . Hope some order will prevail.
  7. Parallel roads to Bombay Bangalore Broadway : The highway often was difficult to approach in view of long redlights and Wakad flyover’s presence . Now with parallel roads to highway on both sides, going towards, Bombay, Bangalore, Dange Chowk and Maruti service center ( My Car)  is very comfortable. The roads are of good quality and add a lot of convenience.
  8. Worldclass dining Options : Thanks to opening of Cafe Momo in Marriott near Hinjawadi chowk and ( Portico , Barbeque nation) Sayaji Hotels, the classy dining experience doesnt require peole to head to Koregaon park. St Laurn, Le royale , Lemon tree, Mezzanine… The options are ever expanding.
  9. Good Home Store Furniture Mall :  This mall in Kaspate Wasti near Kalevadi phata houses and sells really good stuff to decorate your houses . From Wind chimes to paintings to lights to dining tables to Full bar you find everything under one roof. The prices however are most unreasonable and mirror a Mumbai Mall. The price and value conscious would then still be tempted to hit Ishanya  malls or Peths of old Pune.  I was looking for a sparkling red rotating bar chair  for my house. These are imported from Malaysia. The price tag put in Good home store was Rs 3500/=. I scouted for the same in Pimpri market and bought it home for Rs 1800/=. So though the design may lure you here, beware of the prices. Survey and then buy the more expensive stuff from here
  10. Automotive showroom cluster on both sides of the broadway :  Maruti’s MyCar is already catering to car purchase/sales/service and accessorization needs of Maruti owners. We now have Skoda show room open near the Underpass. Tata service center of Bhandari is already operational and Hyundai show room construction is in full swing to pen before Diwali.  Probably , in times to come other 4 wheeler majors will set up shops in this zone. I wish Yamaha, Honda and Bajaj soon catch up.
  11. ????? :  I reserve this para for the time when I see a good book store, Art Shop or an aesthetic place of worship. Lets hope the time comes soon

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10 things Wrong with Wakad today

July 14, 2009 at 7:24 pm (Analysis)
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Associated with every growing town or city are certain factors which hold back its growth or are simply an eyesore. Here are are my top 10 reasons which hold back this place from becoming a truly liveable global village.

  1. Lack of good public transport: From Gurgaon to Wakad, this is the single most problem faced by any growing city. We neither have a Bus system, nor  auto rickshaws or even cycle rickshaws in sufficient numbers to connect the most important parts of the village. Just for going 3-4 km one has to cough out Rs 50 or use one’s own vehicle. This is not good for environment and growth of town.
  2. Gardens,Public parks are non existent: There are only two public parks( It appears in this entire village) One at Dange Chowk and another Mhatoba park on banks of River Mula behind Rohan Tarang(Near Wakad Fly over) . The entrance to Shivaji Park  is not inviting in presence of numerous hawkers who infest the entry gates like ugly bees. The Mhatoba park though being developed as a tourist center is behind schedule by an year.Its spacious, green and there are plans of  developing boating facilities here.There doesnt appear to be any other place of public utility in what is being sold as the best inhabiting option for IT professionals working in Hinjwadi.
  3. Proper naming of roads and localities  : The road names are non descripts. What we only have is the format ” Source -Destination Link road “  like Wakad- Dange Chowk link road or Hinjevadi Aundh road etc . There are so many heores of soils and forgotten messiahs waiting to be immortalised. Lets give them their dues.  There is this place with so many towers coming up but the name will be Kaspate   Wasti  giving an impression that all denizens are living in a slum house.  Similarly ,there are Kalate Wasti  and other Bhangi padas as ear sores. This hardly gives it the individuality of a well thought town.
  4. Absence of sectors and planing there of : The village is fast attaining the the sobriquet of ‘ Chance erected -chance directed township with little vision on dividing it in proper sectors and earmarking roads between them.
  5. Lack of town planing and architecture: Though PCMC ( Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal corporation ) claims to develop it as the best township in India, the commisissioners and townplanners seem to be living in fool’s paradise. There exists little or no architectural coherence in the buildings planned and erected in this townships. The abundance in revenue from property registration and transfers is filling the coffers but there seems little that the administration is doing to make it have a unique look of a modern township.  
  6. Lack of aforestation : There seems little if at all any attempt to plant greens along the roads . Besides the farms and some trees planted by the builders there is nothing which the administration does in making this belt green.
  7. A non vigilant PCMC: The builders do a lot of deviation from the approaved plan for the buildings but there seems to be nothing done to demolish the illegal structures done. All’s not well with the builders as a commmunity who are universally known to build and sell more than authorised limits to mint huge money. Goes an adage – ” If there are no prosecutions under a given law ; the law already has lost its teeth “ In construction terms , if there are no deomlitions ,then the regulating authority is either sleeping, is bribed or is not vigilant enough.
  8. Lack of amusement facilities currently: Other than Cushman and Wakefield multiplex which is planned near Chinchwad there is not a single cinema theater in this area. There is another multiplex whose first floor slab has been completed. This one is near Hinjawadi chowk. This is grossly defficient considering a large population is going to inhabit this.
  9. Absence of traffic lights:  A large no .of vehicles are already traversing this village ,yet we find no traffic light except one at Kalevadi crossing .This leads to chaotic traffic . Hinjevidi flyover and Dange Chowk are specatcles of total traffic disorder during peak times.
  10. Lack of Quality Departmental stores: There is one India Bulls mart in Chinchwad and there is ‘More’ slightly away from it. Reliance fresh is yet to pen. Wakad , per se doesnt have any reputed store worth its name. This calls for immediate attention of town planners . They must acquire suitable land for this and auction it for these essential amenities. Omega paradise is planning to come up with a 4 storey mall on Wakad Thergaon Road. This however , because of recession will probably take 3 yrs to be functional.

In conclusion to above,  I can safely say that PCMC needs to do a lot more to this town than just collect lakhs of Rupees per dwelling unit registration and sit on it.  It needs to involve reputed professional town planners , get a plan developed and publish it on its web site for its denizens to know. In absence of this we have another urban disaster waiting to happen. The culprits again will be the Politicians and Babus who didnt do their job well

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