
Pune: Newly appointed Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram on Monday announced that a comprehensive fire safety audit of all hospitals in Pune will be carried out within the next 15 days. The move comes amid rising concerns over fire safety in medical facilities.
“Any fire breakout in hospitals leads to major casualties. Hence, I have decided to conduct a fire audit of all hospitals in the city,” Ram said.
Pune has a total of 870 registered private hospitals, 19 civic-run maternity homes, 53 outpatient departments (OPDs), and two municipal hospitals, all of which will be covered in the audit.
Ram, who took charge as Pune Municipal Commissioner on Saturday, also vowed to speed up long-delayed infrastructure projects, particularly the Mula-Mutha River Rejuvenation Project, which he described as a “transformative” initiative. “The project was proposed long ago, and I had heard of it five years ago during my tenure as Pune collector. I want to speed it up as it will change the city,” he said.
In addition, the commissioner said he would prioritize resolving land acquisition issues plaguing the Pune Metro project and emphasized the importance of efficient water management amid rapid urbanization.
“As the city continues to grow, drinking water will be a serious issue. It will be given prime importance in our urban planning,” he added.
Ram also assured that citizen grievances would be heard and addressed promptly, reflecting a people-first approach to municipal governance.