IT Park, logistics hub among mayor’s priorities, but budget allocation remains minimal

Nashik: City mayor Himgauri Aher, who assumed office on Feb 10, had identified fast‑tracking the long‑pending IT Park and logistics hub projects as among her top priorities. Both projects were first proposed during the previous BJP‑led corporation's tenure but failed to make any headway due to pandemic‑related disruptions and the dissolution of the elected body in March 2022. Despite the mayor's stated focus, the Nashik Municipal Corporation's budget for 2026‑27 has made only token provisions for these key projects. The civic administration has allocated just Rs 50,000 each for the IT Park and the logistics hub — an amount far below expectation and inadequate to restart the stalled initiatives. The minimal allocations have raised doubts about the pace and seriousness of future implementation, leaving both projects in uncertainty. On Monday, municipal commissioner Manisha Khatri had presented NMC's draft budget outlay of Rs 3,011.85 crore for the next financial year to standing committee chairman Machhindra Sanap. However, the budget does not include any substantial financial commitment to the IT Park or the Logistics Hub, even though these projects were highlighted among the mayor's main priorities soon after assuming office. According to BJP insiders in the civic body, the standing committee will review and discuss the draft budget during a special meeting scheduled for Friday. The committee is expected to revise allocations. Party leaders said key pending projects, including the IT Park and logistics hub, may receive fresh financial provisions during this stage. The revised budget prepared by the standing committee will then be tabled before the NMC's general body, likely in the last week of March. Sources said the mayor will introduce more robust allocations at that stage to boost the pending projects.