Aurangabad needs better infrastructure: CMIA

Accusing the government authorities of showing complete apathy towards creating adequate infrastructure facilities in Aurangabad, the Chamber of Marathwada Industries and Agriculture (CMIA) said that it was high time to introspect and find out why big industries are not coming to the city.

It may be noted that Bajaj Auto managing director Rajiv Bajaj had said in a recent interview with an economic daily that his company would not be making anymore investment in Aurangabad and that it was setting up its Greenfield three and four-wheeler plant in Chakan, near Pune.

Keeping this in notice the CMIA called a press conference and urged government and industrial community to make united efforts to improve city's infrastructure.

Former president of CMIA Gautam Nandawat along with past presidents Ulhas Gaoli, N K Gupta and Mukund Bhogale were present at the briefing.

They conveyed that, "Aurangabad lost opportunities to host companies like Mahindra and Mahindra, Nestle India and Volkswagen in the recent past due to serious gaps in infrastructure. Now companies, which have made substantial investment in Aurangabad are also turning their back on the city. If this continues Aurangabad may soon lose its status of premier industrial town in Maharashtra."

CMIA office-bearers also said that they have failed to get the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) status for Marathwada.The other issues that were discussed were properly developed infrastructure for Shendra industrial estate. Plots for industrialists and adequate power supply at Waluj MIDC.

They also said that the matters like demands for good road connectivity to Pune,Nasik, four-lane highway tracks, rail connectivity to important cities like Bangalore, Chennai, Tirupati, Ahmedabad, Kolkata and extension of airstrip at Chikalthana should be addressed soon.

The office-bearers opined that it would not be possible to highlight Marathwada as an ideal investment destination for sectors like automobile engineering, pharma, biotech, information technology and tourism unless immediate attention is paid by local, state and Central governments to improve infrastructure.

CMIA secretary Ketan Lakhani, former president R R Jhunjhunwala, Shankar Jhunjhunwala, M K Agarwal and Ashish Garde were also present at the briefing.