₹80 lakh fund deficit delays PCB’s Shivaji market restoration work

Pune: Six months after a major fire destroyed the Pune Cantonment’s iconic Shivaji market, the restoration work is yet to see the light of the day due to severe shortage of funds. The estimated expenditure of the ₹2.50 crore project has exceeded by about ₹80 lakh. Despite the Public Works Department (PWD) pledging ₹1.25 crore towards the restoration project, the Pune Cantonment Board (PCB) administration is struggling to arrange financial resources as it faces acute fund shortage.

The board had directed the Shivaji Market traders’ association to pay their pending dues to be used for reconstruction and restoration work. Following the directions, the traders had deposited around ₹20 lakh till date while the Cantonment MLA Sunil Kamble has given ₹25 lakh for the project from the MLA development fund.