PUNE: The Mhalunge-Maan Town Planning (TP) scheme, presented as a model for planned urbanization at the 2018 Magnetic Maharashtra investment summit, is now set to be executed by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).
The Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) is transferring project documents to the PMC following the integration of the villages into PMC jurisdiction.
This handover represents a major shift for five TP schemes that PMRDA has spent nearly eight years planning, securing approvals for, and preparing for execution. Numerous landowners are still awaiting the promised roads, public amenities, and infrastructure under the innovative land-pooling model.
Alongside Mhalunge-Maan, the other TP schemes at Wadachiwadi, Autade-Handewadi, and two in Holkarwadi will also be managed by the PMC.
PMRDA Commissioner Abhijit Chaudhari informed TOI that the transfer is in progress. Officials from the planning department noted that records for the Mhalunge-Maan and Autade-Handewadi schemes have already been submitted to the PMC, with the remaining documents due next week. “PMC will be the planning authority and will advance the project,” Chaudhari stated.
Senior officials indicated that all project records, including those related to the arbitration process completed by PMRDA, will be transferred to the civic body. “Citizens need to coordinate with PMC to move the project forward,” an official mentioned.
The five schemes cover close to 768 hectares and were among the first in the Pune metropolitan area to receive state approval after extensive planning. Following Gujarat’s land-pooling model, these schemes aim to create roads, open spaces, and public amenities by reconstituting land parcels rather than acquiring them outright. The approved plans will see land needed for the proposed Inner Ring Road within these schemes vested with PMRDA free of charge through the TP mechanism.
Additionally, PMRDA proposed 15 more TP schemes along the Inner Ring Road corridor; however, these plans have been stalled due to strong opposition from farmers concerning land contributions and plot reconstitution. Although PMRDA has conducted several discussions with affected villagers, the state government has yet to make a final decision on their future.
“With no progress on these projects, PMRDA has indicated to the government that the town planning proposals along the Inner Ring Road require a final policy decision from the state due to significant opposition from villagers,” officials explained.
Landowners expressed concern regarding the uncertainty surrounding the timeline for implementation. “After waiting for eight years, we are now uncertain about the timeline with a new authority. We hope PMC will initiate implementation and provide a clear timeline for this project,” said one landowner involved in the arbitration process.
