Pune: Municipal Commissioner Kunal Kumar has been appointed as Joint Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in New Delhi. The order was issued by Central government’s appointments committee of the cabinet ministry of personnel, public grievances and pension department of personnel and training on Wednesday.
Kumar took charge as PMC commissioner in August 2014. He has served the maximum tenure (more than three years) as Municipal Commissioner of Pune as compared to earlier civic chiefs. He is considered very close to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. He is known for his physical fitness and has a special fitness trainer.
While speaking to media persons, Kumar said, “ I am willing to serve in Pune but as an IAS officer, I need to move where government asks me to do. I will never forget Pune as it is one of the important postings. Pune has enriched me.”
He made different policies in his tenure such as Comprehensive Bicycle Policy, parking policy, pedestrian policy, trenching policy, public toilet policy etc. Smart City, Mula-Mutha Riverfront development, 24x7 water supply projects are his big achievements. Raising municipal bonds for water supply project was done in his tenure.
For the approval of filing nomination in the Central government’s Smart City Mission for the General Body meeting, he directly approached CM Fadnavis to instruct the PMC to approve the project during NCP regime in the corporation.
He introduced several innovative concepts and ideas which were incorporated in the ‘Smart Cities Mission’ vision document for Pune city such as public participation to crowdsource ideas through the ‘Maza Swapna, Smart Pune’ contest.
