Balewadi garbage depot opposite stadium on service road shut after years of complaints

The solid waste collection and sorting shed on the service road opposite Balewadi Stadium in Pune has been closed. According to a press release issued on Saturday, the decision followed sustained efforts by local leader Moreshwar Balwadkar and coordination with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC). The release was issued from Balewadi on October 24, 2026.

Residents of Baner, Balewadi and Mahalunge had been badly troubled by the shed. They had complained of foul smell, overflowing garbage spilling outside, improper segregation of waste, flies, insects and stray animals. With the depot now closed, residents of the three areas are expected to get relief.

According to the press release, people had been raising problems with the waste collection centre for several years. Mixed waste kept piling up, and the movement of vehicles there also caused trouble in the area.

Balwadkar pursued the matter for several months. He kept in touch with the PMC's solid waste management department, ward-level officials and the civic administration. During this time there was continuous follow-up, on-site inspections were carried out and coordination was maintained with the officials concerned, so that residents' complaints could be addressed.

Balwadkar said the closure showed how important sustained public participation and coordination with the administration are in resolving civic issues. In his words, "The real responsibility of a people's representative is to understand people's problems, pursue them continuously and resolve them through concrete action. The closure of this garbage depot is a victory for every resident who raised their voice and for every official who worked sincerely towards a solution."

The press release said the initiative received the support of Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Chandrakant Patil and Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation and Cooperation Murlidhar Mohol. Their involvement helped in coordinating with the administration.

The closure is expected to improve cleanliness and the surroundings in nearby neighbourhoods, reduce the trouble caused by accumulating garbage and improve residents' quality of life. However, its long-term impact will depend on how waste collection and sorting are handled after the depot's closure.

The matter also drew attention to the conditions of sanitation workers, who continued to collect and sort the waste despite difficult working conditions. The press release calls for more scientific and effective methods of waste management that take care of both public health concerns and the needs of sanitation workers.

Balwadkar himself lives in Balewadi. He said resolving local problems and improving conditions in the neighbourhood remain among his key priorities.

The closure is an important milestone in an issue that has troubled residents of Baner, Balewadi and Mahalunge for years. The press release did not say what alternative arrangement will be made for waste collection and sorting after the depot's closure.