Nashik: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and MLA Aditya Thackeray is scheduled to visit Nashik on Thursday afternoon to personally inspect sections of the city blamed for repeated pothole complaints and to review infrastructure works linked to the Simhastha Kumbh Mela, party functionaries said.
Areas on the inspection list
According to local party sources, Thackeray will examine road stretches in Makhmalabad Road, Ambad MIDC and Satpur, neighbourhoods where residents and motorists have raised persistent grievances about deteriorating surfaces and dangerous potholes. He is also expected to visit the Panchavati area to inspect ongoing works related to the Simhastha Kumbh Mela.
The delegation plans to hold meetings with party office-bearers and corporators to discuss immediate road repairs, the pace of infrastructure projects and civic grievances. Thackeray is also expected to call on officials at the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) headquarters for discussions on these matters, the functionaries said.
Political pressure and planned protest
The visit comes as the civic administration faces growing criticism over road conditions during the monsoon season. Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders have linked several traffic fatalities to potholes and damaged roads in recent months, a claim they repeated as part of their mobilisation.
- Party chief in Nashik, Keshav Porje, announced a major protest march on August 17.
- The march will be led by Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut, starting from the party office at Shalimar and proceeding to Rajiv Gandhi Bhavan, the NMC headquarters.
- UBT leaders have urged citizens from across Nashik to join the rally to press demands on road repairs and civic accountability.
"The protest will highlight issues of road repairs, civic infrastructure and accountability of the administration," Keshav Porje said at a party briefing, according to party sources.
Allegations against the civic administration
UBT leaders have targeted the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and Mayor Himgauri Aher over what they described as inadequate response to basic infrastructure problems. They alleged irregularities in execution of road works and questioned certain work orders issued for Kumbh-related projects, saying these raise concerns about transparency and quality of work.
Party functionaries further claimed that demands for the mayor's removal from within sections of the ruling side reflect dissatisfaction over the administration's handling of essential civic services. These allegations have intensified political scrutiny ahead of the protest march.
Local implications
Badly maintained roads carry immediate public-safety consequences in Nashik, where monsoon rains can worsen surface damage and increase accident risk. For daily commuters, commercial transporters and residents in industrial pockets such as Ambad MIDC and Satpur, prolonged delays in repairs hit mobility and could affect goods movement.
| Area | Issue |
|---|---|
| Makhmalabad Road | Pothole complaints, damaged carriageways |
| Ambad MIDC | Road deterioration affecting industrial traffic |
| Satpur | Potholes and patchwork repairs criticised as insufficient |
City residents and transport unions are likely to watch the inspection and the promised protests closely. The NMC's response to the UBT's charges and the outcomes of Thackeray's inspection — including any immediate repair orders or clarifications on Kumbh contracts — will shape public debate in the coming weeks.
Thackeray's visit underscores how municipal maintenance and large-scale event preparations such as the Simhastha Kumbh Mela are intersecting with local politics in Nashik this monsoon season. Party functionaries said the inspection aims to press for swift remedial work and greater accountability from civic authorities.
