Industries in Chikalthana to pay service charges for good roads

Proposal for road works worth Rs 68 crores in Chikalthana MIDC

Aurangabad:

The Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has neglected the repair of internal roads in Chikalthana MIDC, which was included in the corporation limits 35 years ago. The state industry minister Uday Samant had directed the MIDC to repair these roads. Repairs are expected to cost around Rs 68 crore, and local industries will have to pay service charges for recovery of this amount. MIDC has sent a proposal for collection of service charges to the government.

Chikalthana MIDC is one of the oldest industrial areas in Aurangabad district with 750 industrial, commercial and residential plots. There are 150 to 200 small and large industries currently in operation. In 1987, this area was transferred from MIDC to the AMC. The corporation collects property tax and other taxes but has failed to provide any civic facilities. The internal roads here are in great disrepair. Despite many demands, the corporation did not pay attention to these roads. The members of the Marathwada Association of Small Scale Industries and Agriculture (Massia) met Samant and drew his attention to the road in Chikalthana. Samant assured that the roads will be repaired on priority.

MIDC had prepared a proposal of around Rs 68 crore for the repair of roads and submitted it to the higher office. Meanwhile, Massia had expressed readiness to pay service charges to MIDC for providing facilities. Hence MIDC decided to carry out repair work of the internal roads in Chikalthana industrial area. A proposal of Rs 68 crores has been sent to Mumbai.

Recovery will take 15 years

If Rs 68 crore is spent on repairing roads in Chikalthana MIDC, the industries will have to pay service charges to recover this amount. It will take MIDC about 15 years to recover this amount.