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Pune: Draft Development Plan for Merged Areas Approved

PUNE: During the civic body’s general meeting on Monday, a proposal was approved to initiate the draft development plan (DP) for 23 regions merged with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) in 2021. The proposal also designated city engineer Aniruddha Pavaskar as the town planning officer tasked with overseeing the DP. This measure received unanimous support from corporators, who urged the administration to expedite the DP preparation. The formation of the DP for these 23 merged areas has encountered various technical hurdles over the past five years. An initial DP drafted by the PMRDA was canceled by the state government for…

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PMRDA Given 12-18 Months for Structural Plan to Unlock Permits

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…

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PMRDA to Transfer Mahalunge-Maan Plan to PMC for Implementation

PUNE: After nearly eight years of delays, the long-awaited Mahalunge-Maan Town Planning (TP) scheme is finally set to be implemented. The Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) plans to transfer the execution responsibilities of this project to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC). During a recent PMRDA budget meeting, senior officials confirmed that TP schemes primarily located within PMC limits will now be executed by the civic body. A formal notification from the state government is expected soon to finalize the transfer. The jurisdiction change follows the merger of several villages into the PMC. Officials revealed that over 75% of the…

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PMRDA Requests Clarity from Maharashtra on Maan-Mhalunge Planning

PUNE: The Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) is seeking guidance from the state’s Urban Development Department (UDD) regarding the execution of the Maan-Mhalunge Town Planning Scheme (TPS-1). There is uncertainty whether the project will remain with the PMRDA or be taken over by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) following the merger of Mhalunge village. Officials have stated that a definitive decision from the state is necessary as the documentation for the 250-hectare scheme is nearing its final stages, ready for implementation. Senior PMRDA officials mentioned that a formal request has been made to the UDD for clarity on the…

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Pune’s Hinjewadi-Shivajinagar Metro Line Delayed Again

Representative AI image PUNE: The completion of the 23-km third Metro corridor, which connects Hinjewadi to Shivajinagar, is unlikely to meet its target of March-end. Officials from the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) now suggest that full passenger services may not commence until June or July. This project, developed under a public-private partnership (PPP) with Tata Group-led Pune IT City Metro Rail Limited, is currently approximately 94% complete. Initially, the project was set for completion by the end of March, with operations beginning in April after trial runs. “While trial runs are underway, significant work remains, especially at various…

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Maharashtra Govt Confirms PMC as Planning Authority for 23 Areas

PUNE: On Wednesday, the state government designated the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) as the planning authority for the 23 areas merged into its limits in 2021. This significant decision aims to transform the city’s development dynamics. Since the merger, residents in these areas have been in a complicated situation, with daily planning decisions resting with the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA). This dual-authority scenario meant that while PMC provided water and civic services, PMRDA was in charge of issuing building permits. As a result, developers, residents, and officials often faced confusion due to overlapping regulations, ambiguous permissions, and enforcement…

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Maharashtra Plans Draft Structure for Pune Metropolitan Area

Representative AI image 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…

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Maharashtra Cabinet Approves ₹6,000 Crore Loan for Purandar Airport

Representative AI image PUNE: On Tuesday, the state government approved a proposal to raise ₹6,000 crore for land acquisition related to the Purandar airport project. Principal Secretary of Industries, P. Anbalagan, informed TOI that the state cabinet has, in principle, approved the funding for the airport. A special purpose vehicle (SPV), already in place, involves CIDCO holding a 51% stake, with MIDC and PMRDA each holding 15%, and MADC holding 19%. The SPV was established earlier to facilitate the greenfield airport project. Anbalagan stated, “It has been decided to raise approximately ₹6,000 crore for acquiring land for the greenfield airport.…

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Mahalunge-Maan town plan awaits final approval: PMRDA

PUNE: Seven years after the state government granted initial approval for the Mahalunge–Maan town planning (TP) scheme, the flagship project, which was highlighted during the 2019 Magnetic Maharashtra Investor Summit, is still pending final clearance from the state Urban Development Department (UDD), as reported by a senior PMRDA official. The Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) emphasized that while this model scheme remains a priority, delays have arisen due to the necessity of multiple approvals. A senior PMRDA official mentioned, “The scheme is currently under evaluation and is anticipated to receive clearance soon.” These delays come despite previous assurances from…

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Pune: PMC to Earn ₹200 Crore Yearly from Building Permits

PUNE: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) anticipates generating around Rs 200 crore annually through building permissions in newly merged areas, following the transfer of authority from the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) to the civic administration. PMC officials mentioned that this revenue boost would alleviate the pressure on civic finances and support infrastructure development in these areas, expediting the implementation of the development plan (DP) approved by the state government in October 2017 for the newly incorporated zones. “The population of the nine villages is estimated to be around 6 lakh, with projections of reaching 8 lakh by 2035.…