Wagholi Residents Demand Fair Property Tax Amidst Lack of Basic Services

Wagholi, 25th March 2026: Residents of Wagholi have once again raised concerns over the lack of basic civic infrastructure despite being charged property tax after the area’s merger with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).

The WACO Welfare Association has urged the civic administration to ensure essential services such as water supply, roads, and drainage before levying full property tax on residents.

Anil Kumar Mishra, President of WACO Welfare Association (Team WACO), said the issue has been repeatedly highlighted since property tax was first implemented in Wagholi. According to him, residents continue to face severe infrastructure shortages while being billed for services that are either absent or inadequate.

Mishra said, “No services such as proper water supply, roads, or drainage are available in many parts of Wagholi, yet residents are being asked to pay full property tax. This concern has been consistently raised by Team WACO since the beginning of property tax implementation in the area.”

He added that despite repeated follow-ups with the civic administration, the association did not receive a satisfactory response, prompting it to approach the court. “Due to the lack of response from PMC, we were compelled to approach the Honorable High Court to seek justice against this ongoing issue,” Mishra said.

Wagholi was merged with PMC in 2021, but the absence of elected representatives for a long period delayed the resolution of local civic issues, according to the association. Mishra expressed hope that the situation would improve now that the civic body has a Mayor, Deputy Mayor, and corporators.

“Now that Wagholi has representation in the municipal administration, including a corporator, Mayor, and Assistant Mayor, we hope that critical civic issues such as roads, water supply, and drainage will finally be addressed on priority in 2026,” he said.

The association has also demanded relief in property tax until basic services are provided. Mishra said residents have formally requested the PMC Commissioner, Assistant Commissioner (Tax), and the Mayor to review the property tax structure.

“We have requested the civic administration that until permanent solutions are implemented, temporary or alternative arrangements should be made. At the same time, the components of property tax related to services that are not available should be excluded from the bills,” Mishra said.

He also said the association has sought a formal written response from the PMC regarding the concerns raised in its letter so that the matter can be properly presented before the court.

Mishra recently met Pune Mayor Manjusha Deepak Nagpure to discuss the situation in Wagholi. “During the meeting, I explained in detail the serious issues related to roads, water supply, and drainage. Wagholikars are exhausted from repeatedly raising these concerns and are now seeking concrete solutions to ensure basic living conditions,” he said.

According to Mishra, the Mayor acknowledged the seriousness of the problems and assured follow-up action. “I appreciate the Mayor for giving us sufficient time and understanding the gravity of the situation. During the discussion, she immediately contacted the head of the water department and assured that the concerns raised by WACO Welfare Association would be actively tracked and addressed,” he said.

Mishra added that the Mayor also agreed to visit Wagholi to assess the situation on the ground. “When we requested her to visit Wagholi for an on-ground inspection to understand the hardships faced by residents, she responded positively and assured that she would come. Team WACO will coordinate and organize the visit soon,” he said.

Residents and the association say they will continue to pursue the issue until Wagholi receives adequate civic infrastructure and a fair property tax structure aligned with the services actually provided.