Latest news with #Pimpri-ChinchwadMunicipalCorporation
Hindustan Times
24-05-2025
- Automotive
- Hindustan Times
Pune: PCMC, ITDP redesign streets; make them safer, more inclusive
In a push for safer, more inclusive streets, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) along with the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) has redesigned multiple streets across the twin city including major stretches in Nigadi, Dapodi, and Pradhikaran. The pilot work on most of these stretches is nearing completion and is said to be already helping citizens, especially pedestrians and cyclists, to safely access the streets. Bapusaheb Gaikwad, joint city engineer, Urban Mobility Department, PCMC, said, 'These users have as much right to safe streets as those in private vehicles, which is why this new infrastructure is critical.' These upgrades are part of the ongoing 'Urban Streetscapes Programme' and are in keeping with the Supreme Court (SC) order dated May 14 directing states and union territories to ensure safe, accessible and obstruction-free footpaths for citizens. For example, the old Mumbai-Pune highway corridor is undergoing one of the most notable transformations. A key pedestrian corridor with high footfalls, it had little to no usable footpaths previously. The redesigned stretch however includes continuous footpaths, dedicated cycle tracks, street furniture, green buffers, and junction safety improvements – all without compromising on effective street space for motor vehicles. Whereas the upgrades have also been receiving their fair share of criticism in terms of reduction of carriageway space. However, Gaikwad clarified, 'We are not reducing capacity; we are reallocating the previously unusable space by streamlining the parking and motor vehicles' lane so as to avoid bottlenecks and ensure smooth flow of traffic.' He further explained that the street already has two lanes in the service corridor along with high-speed corridor lanes which is sufficient to meet the traffic needs of commuters. Adding more lanes would only temporarily solve traffic congestion, he said. Besides, with private vehicle ownership in the city nearing 90 vehicles per 100 people, experts emphasise that continuing to widen roads is unsustainable. 'More road space attracts more vehicles and quickly brings back congestion. The relief from congestion is temporary. There is only so much widening a city can do,' executive engineer Sunil Pawar said. The only way to decongest stretches in the long run is to encourage more commuters to choose walking, cycling or public transport. 'And hence, the PCMC is prioritising its 'Urban Streetscapes Programme' that aims to reduce long-term traffic pressure by encouraging walking, cycling, and public transport – all core goals of the city's non-motorised transport policy,' Pawar added. Not only private vehicle ownership but also vehicle speed continues to be a major concern. The average speed recorded is around 50 kmph with peak speeds reaching 81 kmph. Fifty-nine per cent of the respondents surveyed identified speeding vehicles as a critical hazard. Pranjal Kulkarni, programme manager at ITDP India, said, 'Much of the opposition we hear is from vehicle users. But the reality is that a large part of our city walks or cycles. This survey was a way to amplify their needs and not just the loudest voices. Before the design interventions, only 45% of the streets had adequately walkable footpaths.' Regarding concerns that these upgrades are merely for beautification, the PCMC clarified that the works include stormwater drains, improved lighting, junction redesign, and structural upgrades. All interventions follow the Indian Roads Congress (IRC) standards. Prasanna Desai, architect-urban designer, said, 'The streets are being designed based on the adjoining land-use and the available space while taking into account all stakeholders and elements such as motorised vehicles, parking, pedestrians, cyclists, hawkers, trees, seating, and services and utilities. While doing this, it is important to ensure safe, seamless and uninterrupted movement for pedestrians and cyclists along with motor vehicles. Streets designed under the 'Urban Streetscapes Programme' are not just street beautification projects but street transformations that enhance the overall experience with shade, safety, and inclusivity.' Officials also noted that these upgrades have been shaped through extensive stakeholder consultations involving residents, RWAs, vendors, shopkeepers and the traffic police. Citizen inputs have been integrated throughout the planning and design process.
Hindustan Times
22-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
PCMC launches initiative to promote inclusive urban development as part of City Livelihood Action Plan
The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) on Wednesday launched an ambitious initiative to empower weaker sections and promote inclusive urban development as part of the City Livelihood Action Plan (C-LAP), officials said. Under this initiative, a two-day series of focused group discussions with key stakeholders including government officials, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), private sector representatives and academic institutions has already commenced on Wednesday, May 21, officials said. These discussions will guide the preparation of the C-LAP, which is being developed under the Government of India's Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM). The C-LAP will address city-specific livelihood needs and help chart a roadmap for skills' development, self-employment, and socio-economic resilience for vulnerable communities, they said. Shekhar Singh, municipal commissioner, PCMC, said that this initiative is a crucial step toward inclusive and sustainable urban growth. 'The C-LAP will help create a skilled and resilient workforce, enable dignified livelihoods, and ensure that no section of society is left behind. The learnings and outcomes will also be shared with the state government,' he said. According to officials, a comprehensive sample survey will be conducted from May 26 to May 31 across the city to ensure that the plan remains rooted in ground realities. This survey will capture demographic, economic, and occupational data—focusing on informal workers; slumdwellers; households run by women; persons with disabilities (PwDs); and the transgender community, they said. What is C-LAP? The City Livelihood Action Plan is being prepared under the central government's Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM). Recognising that livelihood needs vary from city to city, the C-LAP will take into account Pimpri-Chinchwad's unique socio-economic and geographic context. The plan will provide a roadmap for enhancing income-generating opportunities through policy interventions, entrepreneurship support, skilling programmes, and social protection measures. Box Institutional mechanism A City Livelihood Task Force (CLTF) has been constituted under the PCMC's leadership to drive the C-LAP's formulation and implementation. This task force comprises representatives from government agencies, NGOs, the private sector and academia. The CLTF will guide policymaking, coordinate funding, monitor progress, and ensure alignment between various schemes and implementing partners. Target beneficiaries Urban poor and residents of informal settlements Women and women-led households Persons with disabilities, senior citizens, transgender persons and migrant workers Informal workers such as construction labourers, domestic workers, drivers, and rickshaw pullers
Indian Express
21-05-2025
- Indian Express
Chikhli demolitions: PCMC official denies allegations of taking bribes to allow constructions
FOUR days after demolitions of 36 structures in Chikhli area of Pimpri-Chinchwad, Santosh Shirsat, junior engineer of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, has denied allegations levelled by the affected residents that he took upwards of Rs one lakh from the residents to allow the constructions to take place. 'I have not taken any money from any residents. The allegations levelled against me are false,' Shirsat told The Indian Express on Wednesday. On May 17, the PCMC had flattened as many as 36 structures which fell within the blue floodline of the Indrayani river. First the National Green Tribunal had termed them as illegal and later the Supreme Court also upheld the NGT ruling. Armed with the SC order, the PCMC demolished all the structures on the same day itself. The action triggered angry reactions from citizens and activists who said the PCMC could have waited till the monsoon got over. Activists said the Supreme Court had not given the PCMC 6 months to remove the structures, and they need not have razed them before the end of monsoons. The PCMC also drew flak as the affected residents wanted to file a curative petition in the Supreme Court, however, PCMC razed the structures. The day the structures were razed, residents told the media that they had carried on with their construction as PCMC officials gave them the green signal after taking money from them. Shirsat was specifically named as one who took Rs one lakh or more from them. The residents said they paid the money in cash. And after they paid the money, they were allowed to continue with the construction. Shirsat said that the residents were targeting him as he had served them notices as the beat inspector and told them that they could not continue with the construction. 'As the beat marshal, I had served notices to them. I had told them that they should stop the construction activity. Maybe because of this, they were against me and are targeting me,' he said. 'Now I am a junior engineer but in 2022 I was the beat marshal of the area. I worked there for 18 months,' he said. Shirsat said he had informed his senior officials about the illegal construction activity near the Indrayani river. 'It was the duty of the senior officials to act…I have no clue why they did not act,' he said. Shirsat said when he took charge as the beat inspector, 22 flats had already been constructed. 'If 22 flats had already been constructed, how can they accuse me of taking money from each one of them…There is no truth in what they are saying. They are trying to target PCMC and me so that they could get some sympathy,' he said. When contacted, Asif Shaikh, one of the affected residents of Chikhli, said,'Shirsat is lying. We all paid him money. He insisted that we should pay him or else he would not allow construction to go ahead. We have also learnt that he bought a piece of land from the money collected from us. The PCMC should conduct a probe against him. Despite his name cropping up, why is the PCMC commissioner silent? Why is he not taking any action?' When he was asked about the allegations made by residents, Municipal Commissioner Shekhar Singh said,'The residents should submit to me the names of the officials who took the money. This is a very serious matter. I will initiate strict action against those responsible. I will suspend them, order a departmental probe and even arrest them if they are found guilty. I will not tolerate this kind of behaviour by our officials.' Shirsat is currently under suspension by the PCMC as the civic administration is investigating allegations of him selling seized machines. 'I was suspended 18 months back. The probe against me just got over. I have submitted all proof that I was not involved in any illegal activity of selling the seized equipment,' he said. Activist Avinash Chilekar said,'The issue that PCMC officials take money for allowing illegal construction to carry on has come forward for the first time. The municipal commissioner should initiate a probe into this. He will come to know how the illegal structures are coming up everywhere in the city. If he sends a few officials to jail, the issue of illegal constructions will permanently end in Pimpri-Chinchwad. But I doubt the PCMC chief will take strict action…They only took strict action against the hapless residents when the system had actually failed them.' Meanwhile, the residents said the developer, Manoj Jare, has approached them and told them that he would compensate for the loss suffered by the residents. 'We have held a couple of meetings with the builder. He said those who owned two gunthas of land will get 2 bhk flat in his new scheme and those who owned one guntha land will get one bhk flat. So far, we have not agreed to anything. The discussions are still going on. We are going to make him sign an affidavit if we reach an agreement,' said Asif Shaikh.
Indian Express
21-05-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Payrolls to tax ops streamlined: PCMC goes 100% paperless
With over 32,000 tapals (posts) and 3,700 files processed digitally across 54 departments, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has fully transitioned to a paperless and integrated digital governance system since April 1, 2025, the civic administration said today. The city's first-of-its-kind GIS-enabled ERP project—powered by SAP, Document Management System (DMS), Geographic Information System (GIS), and 26 non-core citizen and administrative applications — has redefined service delivery, internal efficiency, and transparency. PCMC's move to a fully digital work environment has eliminated the use of physical files entirely, making it one of the few municipal bodies in India to achieve this scale of integration, the administration said. The robust backend, which connects SAP modules with real-time GIS data and a centralised DMS, has streamlined everything from payroll and pensions to asset management, engineering projects, and property tax operations, officials said. Over 6,500 staff salaries and contractor bills were seamlessly processed through SAP in March and April. Engineering departments have created 176 estimations on the SAP Project System, now mapped on the GIS database to enable real-time tracking and monitoring. Citizen-centric services such as marriage registration, sports and auditorium bookings, and slum billing have also gone digital, the administration said. The new Workflow and DMS systems enable scanning, routing, and retrieving official files within defined digital paths, significantly reducing delays. Internally, modules like electric bill payment, library and security management, veterinary services, and municipal secretariat management have been activated to bring greater efficiency and transparency. The integrated Citizen Geoportal and Departmental Geoportal are transforming access to services—citizens can now view land records, civil works, property details, and water networks online, eliminating the need for office visits. These platforms also cut down on costs for both citizens and departments by reducing travel, paperwork, and manual processing, officials said. With 380+ GIS layers, a Digital Elevation Model for terrain analysis, and 6 lakh+ geotagged properties, PCMC is setting a national benchmark in municipal e-governance. The system, built using high-resolution satellite imagery and LiDAR surveys, is the first in India to integrate all departments on a single GIS platform, officials said. 'We have built a system where files don't move physically anymore — everything is tracked, fast, and transparent. This digital shift reflects our focus on efficiency, accountability, and smart governance. The system is continuously evolving, and we are learning from user feedback to improve it further each day,' said Municipal Commissioner Shekhar Singh.
Hindustan Times
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
36 unauthorised bungalows razed along Indrayani river bank
In a long-anticipated and high-impact anti-encroachment drive, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) on Saturday demolished 36 illegal bungalows from the River Villa project, located within the blue flood line of the Indrayani River in Chikhali. The entire operation was completed in under ten hours. Acting on the orders of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), officials and personnel from the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), along with a heavy police force, reached the River Villa project in Chikhali village in the morning. The demolition drive, which began around 6 am under heavy police protection, lasted for around 5 pm when all the riverside structures were brought down using a large number of earthmovers. According to officials, the civic body razed the river-facing bungalows spread across 63,970 sq ft (7,245 sq metres) in Survey No. 90. A total of 18 excavators and three earthmovers were deployed for the operation. Despite opposition from local BJP leaders, PCMC officials went ahead with the action, citing directives from the Supreme Court. Water and electricity connections to the bungalows were disconnected a day before the drive. While some residents began packing and shifting belongings on Friday, others remained on site until the morning of the action. Municipal commissioner Shekhar Singh supervised the demolition, with senior PCMC officials, including additional commissioner Pradeep Jambhale-Patil, city engineer Makarand Nikam, and deputy commissioners Manoj Lonkar and Rajesh Aghale present at the site. Police presence The Pimpri-Chinchwad police commissionerate ensured tight security, with the police team led by deputy commissioners Dr Shivaji Pawar and Bapusaheb Bangar, assistant commissioner Anil Koli, and senior inspector Vitthal Salunkhe. The large-scale operation involved a formidable task force: 7 Executive Engineers, 22 Deputy Engineers, 22 Junior Engineers, 22 Beat Inspectors, 168 Maharashtra Security Force personnel, over 400 police officials, and 120 labourers. The civic body deployed 15 Poklane machines, 3 earthmovers, 2 fire engines, and 4 ambulances to support the operation. Speaking to Hindustan Times, Singh said, 'The civic body had previously warned citizens to check the development plan (DP) and ensure approvals before investing. The DP is available online. Approved plots are more expensive, but people often take risks to save money.' 'It's not as though all buyers were unaware. Many knew the plots were unauthorised but believed someone could 'manage' the issue. Ultimately, it's the citizens' responsibility to verify all permissions before investing,' he added. Mahesh Patil, one of the affected homeowners, said he had invested over ₹1.25 crore in building his bungalow. 'We have no savings left. We're a family of 14 and now have nowhere to go. I'm under heavy debt with a monthly EMI of ₹68,000,' he said. Petition filed The case stems from a petition filed before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) by citizens opposing construction within the blue flood line of the Indrayani River. On July 1, 2024, the tribunal directed PCMC to take strict action and gave residents six months to respond. A joint committee also imposed ₹5 crore as External Development Charges (EDC) to be recovered from the developers and owners, the civic body said in a statement. Following legal proceedings, the matter reached the Supreme Court, which dismissed a civil appeal on May 5, 2025, clearing the way for demolitions. A last-minute attempt by the bungalow owners to obtain an interim stay from the Bombay High Court on Friday also failed. Lawyers representing the affected residents argued that while land transactions were legally executed, the issue was with the status of the construction. Advocates Yogendra Kumar and Arun Longani, who are representing homeowners, said the Bombay High Court had allowed an urgent hearing, but did not grant interim relief. 'Our writ petition is pending and will be heard on June 9,' they said. Undertakings According to them, residents had submitted undertakings to PCMC stating they would either demolish the structures themselves or vacate and hand over possession if a fresh flood line survey confirmed the illegality. The River Villa bungalows—primarily owned by middle-class families—were built over two decades, starting in the late 1990s and continuing until 2020. Earlier, on July 1, 2024, the NGT had directed PCMC to demolish 29 bungalows and other illegal structures within six months and recover ₹5 crore as environmental compensation. Though the Supreme Court initially stayed the NGT order, it later upheld it in full. Meanwhile, many residents claim they were misled by the developer, who had assured them that the plots fell in a residential zone. 'We were given water and electricity connections by the corporation. If the construction was illegal, why didn't they act earlier? We've put our life savings into these homes,' said one of the affected owners.
