Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
In an initiative to explore different revenue sources to stabilise the financial condition of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation (CSMC), the municipal commissioner G Sreekanth has decided to take up the pending proposal of starting a few more petrol pumps in the city.
The proposal was mooted after reviewing the success of CSMC's first petrol pump at old Central Octroi Naka in 2021. The proposal of the first pump was ideated and pursued by the former civic chief Astik Kumar Pandey.
It may be noted prior to starting the first pump, the civic officials were not sure whether it would be successful or not. However, the pump received a good response. Now, it is leading in the sale of petrol and diesel in Marathwada. In the last two years, the municipal corporation got more than Rs 1 crore through the pump. Now, on the demand of customers, the pump is operated till late in the night.
There are many open plots owned by the municipal corporation in the city. The civic body has decided to set up the pumps on them and to attract revenue as it is running under a financial crunch for the past many days. The CSMC proposed to start pumps in Harsul, Garware Ground and Kanchanwadi in 2021. However, due to some reasons, the proposal was set aside. Now, the new civic chief has assured of taking it up for implementation as early as possible.
Meanwhile, the CSMC demolished the old staff quarters at Kanchanwadi. The fuel company has also completed the starting process. Later on, the proposal got shelved for reasons better known to the civic administration.
Two sites cancelled
According to sources, “There is no problem for the CSMC to start the pump at Kanchanwadi. The site selected for the pump at Harsul has been allotted to the garbage processing plant. The land available at Garware Ground is owned by MIDC. Hence it is apparent that the two sites of Harsul and Garware have been cancelled. Meanwhile, the search for alternate and suitable land will be started after receiving instruction from the key authorities.”