It wouldn't be fair to call the economic developments in Pune as a set of disappointments, but it does come close to the truth. The city made several claims about its capabilities such as the Detroit of India, to be a fitting rival to Bangalore's Silicon Valley, the Oxford of India, etc. Well, so far the closest it has come to is to be the Oxford of India. Pune has a student population of over 2 lakh of which 80 per cent come from all over the country. It has about 100 colleges, 10 medical colleges, 14 engineering colleges and 10 business schools.

Pune's infotech industry is also fairly good, with nearly 450 software companies. Then there are those transnationals like HSBC and British Airways which have back-office operations in the city. However, in the last five years not a single manufacturing unit has been opened in Pune. This is a worrying fact but no one in the city is complaining.

The presence of the many software professionals and large student population have already accelerated the growth of the city. And there is scope for more growth. This young and relatively moneyed market has encouraged the spurting of many branded retailers, restaurants and a good night life. With infotech, agricultural products, automobiles and auto-ancillaries, education, hospitality and hordes of others, Pune's industrial profile is enviable. These various businesses also help attract several professionals from all over the country. Moderate climate, good housing facilities, good law and order situation, good water supply and easy accessibility to everything unlike in big cities like Delhi and Mumbai, are its plus points.

But on the flip side, Pune has its share of problems. For starters it is the traffic scene. Poona has the highest density of two wheelers in any South Asian city - 6.5 lakh, and around 4,000 odd six-seaters, all of which contribute to the traffic snarls. But the roads are not good enough to accommodate this huge and growing motor population. Though plans are afoot, they are only on paper. Because of the high motor population, pollution too is a problem. The suspended particulate matter in the atmosphere is higher than the permissible levels. The high cost of living and expensive residential and commercial space are among the other important grouses the city dwellers have.

But the fact remains that Pune is a town that is blossoming into an important city. It has promises of becoming one of the top players. But for that the city has to pull up its socks and work towards bettering it's infrastructure.