PUNE: Urban Development Minister Madhuri Misal has urged the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) to accelerate the preparation of a structural plan, aiming to implement it within the next 12-18 months. This move comes in light of delays in development permissions following the cancellation of the authority’s draft development plan (DP).
The directive was given during a review meeting at PMRDA’s Akurdi headquarters, where key infrastructure projects, including town planning schemes and the ring road project, were assessed. PMRDA Commissioner Abhijit Chaudhari and other senior officials were present.
Misal mentioned that the transfer of five approved town planning schemes to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is in progress, and she stressed the importance of expediting approvals for the remaining 15 proposed schemes. She highlighted that the future of PMRDA’s planned inner ring road heavily relies on these schemes, urging officials to prioritize them.
The minister also called for a faster formation of a special purpose vehicle (SPV) for the proposed twin-tunnel project. Additionally, she recommended a joint meeting between PMRDA and PMC for coordinated planning of the High Capacity Mass Transit Route, the regional ring road, and the twin-tunnel project.
During the review, PMRDA reported large-scale encroachments on government grazing land assigned to the authority. Drone surveys are being conducted to assess the extent of these encroachments, while efforts are underway to secure PMRDA’s ownership in revenue records.
Misal noted that although approximately 2,000 hectares have been earmarked for the authority, significantly less usable land is available due to encroachments and disputes. She directed officials to explore returning heavily encroached plots to the district administration in exchange for unencumbered land and to discuss the issue with the state government.
Furthermore, she encouraged PMRDA to take the lead in developing an international-standard convention center without waiting for state funding, emphasizing the project’s potential to generate revenue and promote regional development.
To offer immediate relief to citizens until the structural plan is finalized, the minister instructed PMRDA to consider granting some building permissions based on proposed road-planning zones. She also assured support for extending the Unified Development Control and Promotion Regulations (UDCPR) framework across the PMRDA region.
Senior officials, including Joint Commissioners Rupali Awale-Dambe and Poonam Mehta, Chief Engineer Rinaz Pathan, Director (Development Permission) Avinash Patil, and other department heads, provided updates on ongoing projects and planning initiatives.
