Anand Mahindra is impressed with Pune Municipality's footpath work, netizens say 'Sir, please write to BMC as well'

Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra recently took to X to commend an important civic initiative in Maharashtra's Pune. He appreciated the city's civic body, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) for "repairing and upgrading" footpaths across the city. In his post, veteran industrialist Anand Mahindra praised local authorities — specifically @PMCPune — for taking concrete steps to repair and upgrade footpaths across the city.

In his post, Anand Mahindra shared pictures of PMC originally shared by the civic body in which damaged footpaths were being repaired. "Pune is undergoing a transformative metamorphosis under the leadership of the Pune Municipal Commissioner, Naval Kishore Ram. With pedestrianisation as a top priority, PMC has committed to repairing all damaged footpaths across the city by December 2026, making Pune safer and more walkable for everyone," PMC's post reads.

Commenting on the post, Mahindra lauded PMC's initiative. He wrote, "Good to see @PMCPune taking concrete steps to repair and upgrade footpaths across the city."


He added, "Last November, I wrote about how well-designed, continuous pavements can transform urban life, often faster and at far lower cost than big-ticket projects. Footpaths aren’t add-ons to roads. They are the most democratic layer of a city. They mean safer streets, walkable neighbourhoods, healthier citizens, and more vibrant local businesses. A town planning policy of 'Footpaths First' essentially puts ‘People First’."

A simple gesture with big implications

Anand Mahindra’s tweet carries a deeper significance. Footpaths — often ignored in urban planning — are essential components of city infrastructure as they ensure the safety of pedestrians, promote walkability, and reflect a city’s commitment to inclusive and user-friendly urban design. By publicly recognizing efforts to improve them, Anand Mahindra highlighted the importance of infrastructure that benefits everyday life. This post is consistent with Mahindra’s broader pattern of using social media to amplify positive developments and everyday achievements.

After a survey revealed that nearly 42 kilometres of footpaths were in poor shape, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) initiated a dedicated repair drive. “The administration will adhere to urban street design guidelines while reconstructing the footpaths. A model footpath has been created to kick-start the project,” said Aniruddha Pawaskar, head of PMC’s road department.

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How social media users reacted

Netizens were quick react to Anand Mahindra's post with some suggesting designs from USA, while others saying there are only 2 walkable footpaths in the entire city. "Ideas for footpath design. Saw this design in a city in the USA," wrote a social media user. "Don't get fooled by them lol, there are only 2 walkable footpaths in the entire city. ONLY 2 !! If they wanted to they could have done this long back, this is just a hogwash and I can bet there is going to be zero difference by the year-end," wrote another.

"Sir, pls write to BMC as well. People walk on roads because of uneven paths, trash all over n dirty or hawker gilled footpaths. Thats as u well know dangerous for people walking on the road and cars driving on it," a user commented.

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"If influential people like yourself start speaking about the Civic problems of Cities and possible solutions, perhaps those in power will start taking notice and act. The common man has lost his voice in this deeply convoluted system of illegal benefits running deep from the lowest to highest level in Governance. Perhaps we also need more Corporate participation in adoption of parks and common areas for beautification and maintenance. In lieu, they can het areas for advertising and branding," commented another.

"Absolutely agree �� Well-designed footpaths truly put people first—safer streets and walkable neighbourhoods make a real difference in everyday life. Great initiative by @PMCPune," another wrote in the comment section.