3 days ago
72 trees to be transplanted as construction of Pune Police commissionerate's HQ begins
PUNE: While the Pune Police Commissionerate is currently constructing a green-compliant, state-of-the-art headquarters at the existing campus near Sadhu Vaswani Mission, the police have clarified that most of the 72 trees at the premises, many of them nearly a century old, will be transplanted rather than felled to clear space for construction of the new building. Only exotic or commercially non-native species will be razed and that too, after obtaining due permission from the Pune Municipal Corporation's (PMC's) tree authority committee. New Delhi, India - Aug. 21, 2018: The Ber sports a dense, spread-out crown and is said to be part of Delhi's native range of trees. It has been cultivated for its fruit in India for a very long time. Here seen in Hauz Khas, it is also found on Aurobindo Marg, the Qutub compound and in Shalimar Bagh. (Photo by Sanchit Khanna / Hindustan Times) **For Saturday (Sanchit Khanna/HT PHOTO)
Speaking on the ecological concerns, additional commissioner (administration) Sanjay Patil, said, 'A decision on the transplantation of 72 trees will be taken after a meeting with the PMC's tree authority. These trees will be transplanted to the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) campus at Wanawadi. Only commercial and exotic species will be cut with the civic body's permission.'
The Commissionerate is currently home to 72 trees, many of them nearly a century old. The new development, though modern in scope, aims to be mindful of the legacy. Moreover, the upcoming building has received green building certification and is architecturally modelled on the Pune Collectorate.
The new building will house offices for both senior and junior police officials, organised across multiple floors based on the police hierarchy. Key branches to be accommodated include the crime branch, special branch, foreign citizen registration, photography and fingerprint unit, general administration and the Commissionerate headquarters. These units will be strategically distributed within the building to ensure efficient workflow and accessibility. In addition to operational offices, the facility will feature several modern amenities aimed at enhancing service delivery and staff welfare. The building will also prioritise accessibility and sustainability, incorporating disabled-friendly access points, a solar power system, and a sewage treatment plant. Furthermore, ample parking space will be available to accommodate both staff and visitors.
Designed in a T-shaped layout, the new headquarters will consist of a ground floor and five upper floors, with plans already approved by a high-powered committee led by the Maharashtra chief secretary. While the Pune police had proposed a budget of ₹242.99 crore, the state government has sanctioned ₹193.80 crore for the first phase of construction. To begin work, demolition of the peripheral offices excluding the historic main building started in March 2025. The new structure is expected to be completed within two to three years. During the construction period, essential departments including the control room, CCTV monitoring unit, and other operational offices have been temporarily relocated to the Shivajinagar police headquarters. The commissioner's office itself will soon be shifted to a private rented facility nearby to ensure continuity of operations.
