PMC told to send proposal to quash its panel's plan to widen 323 six-metre roads to 9 metres
Pune: The
state urban development department
has asked the
Pune Municipal Corporation
to submit a proposal recommending the quashing of its standing committee's controversial resolution to widen 323
six-metre roads
to nine metres.
The quashing of the resolution is expected to give relief to many bungalow owners and housing societies from several areas in the city, including Sahakarnagar, Kothrud, Prabhat Road, Deccan Gymkhana and Aundh, who had raised concerns over the possible increase in high-rises in narrow lanes fronting their properties and the resulting pressure on the service lines and traffic.
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TOI had highlighted these concerns through a 20-part series of reports under its "Planning Controversy" campaign, after the standing committee's controversial road widening resolution on June 9, 2020.
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The TOI campaign evoked spontaneous support from residents and political parties, including Congress and then undivided NCP and Shiv Sena. Yet, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC)'s standing committee and the civic officials had sent the proposal to the state urban development department (UDD) for its approval.
BJP members Ujjwal Keskar and Suhas Kulkarni, both former chairman of PMC's standing committee, and undivided Shiv Sena's Prashant Badhe moved Bombay High Court accusing the PMC panel of not following the due legal process as stipulated under Section 210 (1) [B] of the 1949 Maharashtra Municipal Corporation Act while bulldozing the road widening proposal.
The high court had asked the state UDD to give a hearing to both the parties and work out a solution. Accordingly, the state urban development principal secretary K H Govindraj held a joint meeting with Keskar, Kulkarni, Badhe, and PMC commissioner Rajendra Bhosale and city engineer Prashant Waghmare on April 11 this year.
The UDD on Monday published the minutes of the meeting, in which it has asked the PMC to resubmit a proposal recommending quashing of its earlier standing committee's resolution.
Pune municipal commissioner Rajendra Bhosale said he was yet to receive the minutes, but added "further steps will be taken based on instructions issued by the UDD".
A senior PMC engineer said, "We will study the UDD's instructions." He argued that the PMC had followed the necessary steps while tabling the road-widening proposal and had given a hearing to residents before sending it to the UDD.
BJP's Kasba Peth MLA Hemant Rasne was the standing committee chairman when the resolution was passed in 2020. He said he would seek more details on the instructions issued by the UDD.
"I also plan to discuss the issue with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and the state urban development minister," Rasane said, arguing that the proposal to widen the six-metre roads to nine meters was aimed at allowing redevelopment of old societies
Petitioner Ujjwal Keskar said, "The standing committee's resolution was not in favour of citizens. We have successfully explained how the proposal was approved by PMC in an abrupt manner and in a haste. The due process was not followed. We appeal to the PMC to hold a survey of all six-metre roads to check the status of the construction activities and then prepare a fresh report."
Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Sanjay More and Prashant Badhe said, "The BJP-led govt in 2015 banned the use of TDR on six-metre-wide roads and hence, they were forced to push such a controversial proposal. Also, if the city has over 2,000 such six-metre roads, why only 323 were selected for widening?
Congress leader Aba Bagul, who opposed the proposal, said BJP pushed the proposal based on a "clear majority" it had in the general body.
"Their leaders did not explain why only 323 roads were identified. Also, they did not consider the huge burden the high-rise buildings on these smaller roads would put on the drainage, water supply, and other infrastructure," Bagul said.
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