PUNE: The state government has instructed the PMRDA to promptly begin drafting the structure plan for the Pune Metropolitan Region (PMR).
Senior officials from the urban development department mentioned that the notification was released on February 10. “The directions were issued in the public interest in accordance with provisions added through Chapter III B of the MRTP Act. The amended law allows a six-month window following the publication of the statutory notice to prepare the structure plan. Hence, the state has ordered the PMRDA to take immediate action,” they stated.
PMRDA Commissioner Yogesh Mhase assured TOI on Friday that initial work would commence soon. “We will finalize the structure plan within the designated timeframe. It will assist in the comprehensive planning of the region, particularly concerning roads and amenities,” he added.
This directive was issued under Section 154 of the Maharashtra Regional Planning and Town Planning (MRTP) Act, 1966, after the previous draft development plan (DP) was withdrawn and amendments were made to incorporate the structure plan mechanism.
Urban development officials outlined that the structure plan is intended to serve as a foundational document for all future regional and town-level amenities as well as major roadways. Unlike a DP, it won’t include specific plot reservations or detailed land-use zoning. Instead, it will outline the general spatial structure necessary for infrastructure development, mobility networks, and environmental protection.
According to Sections 42 H and 42 K of the amended Act, the structure plan will delineate regional and city-level transport and communication routes, including major road corridors and connectivity networks for intra-city and inter-city movement. It will establish the hierarchy and indicative widths of access roads.
The plan will also frame regional amenities and public utility services such as water supply, sewage, solid waste management, and other critical infrastructure. Additionally, it will identify and protect parks alongside other city or regional public amenities, biodiversity parks, hilltop and hillside areas, and other environmentally sensitive zones.
The directive follows a protracted planning and legal process. PMRDA first announced its intention to develop a draft DP for the PMR, which includes Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad, and nearly 600 surrounding villages, in June 2017. The draft plan was made available for objections and feedback on August 2, 2021, garnering about 67,000 responses from the public. On August 3, 2021, the Bombay High Court prohibited authorities from proceeding with the final actions regarding the objections. Following years of legal proceedings, in February 2025, PMRDA decided to cancel the draft plan and submitted an affidavit to the court. On July 15, 2025, the High Court dismissed all related petitions. The state officially concluded the DP process in September 2025.
Amendments introducing provisions for the preparation of structural plans were published in the Maharashtra Government Gazette on August 29, 2025. The recent order activates these provisions for the PMR. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has also instructed PMRDA to expedite the structure plan’s preparation, considering projected population growth and urbanization.
Once approved, the structure plan will inform all upcoming planning decisions and major infrastructure initiatives within the PMR, according to a PMRDA official.
