Nagpur: Union minister Nitin Gadkari and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday directed the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) administration to mandatorily ensure adequate parking space in every new construction being undertaken through NMC, MSIDC, and other govt agencies. They also ordered immediate removal of illegal stalls near schools and colleges and illegal hookah parlours across the city.The directives came at a review meeting of Nagpur’s development projects held at the Chief Minister Secretariat (Hyderabad House). Guardian minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Rajya Sabha member Maya Ivnate, MLAs Mohan Mate and Krishna Khopde, mayor Neeta Thakre, additional chief secretary (housing) Aseem Kumar Gupta, divisional commissioner Vijayalakshmi Bidari, NMC commissioner Dr Vipin Itankar, district collector Kumar Ashirwad, and MSIDC general manager Brajesh Dixit were present.Gadkari directed officials to incorporate ample parking spaces at new vegetable markets, mutton-fish markets, food malls, Santra Market, Cotton Market, and Netaji Market. He said modern technology should be used to find parking solutions wherever space is a constraint. Fadnavis said the Integrated Development Control and Promotion Regulations should be used as the framework and amended as necessary.On encroachment, Gadkari and Fadnavis directed NMC and police to conduct joint drives to remove shops spilling onto footpaths and roads across the city. Illegal pan stalls and other shops near schools and colleges must be removed immediately, they ordered. Fadnavis separately directed action against illegal hookah parlours.The meeting reviewed ongoing and proposed projects under NMC, including zone-wise vegetable and mutton-fish markets, food malls, and hawker zones for localities with over one lakh population. The status of Phase 5 cement road works covering 135 roads totalling 89km across nine zones was presented in the meeting. Stopping water leakage in the city’s supply network was also flagged as a priority.The Yashwant Stadium redevelopment, Nag and Pohra river projects, underground sewerage for the growing city population, stormwater drains, and pipeline funding were also reviewed. The meeting took stock of development works at Mayo Hospital and GMCH, Mankapur Divisional Sports Complex, MHADA’s Textile Park, Dabha International Convention Centre, and slum rehabilitation at Kachipura.
