1 week Ago By Nisha Nambiar
State govt's decision to cancel Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA)'s draft development plan has plunged the planning of 842 villages, spanning over 6,000sqkm, into uncertainty. "We will submit the cancellation affidavit to the Bombay high court this week," PMRDA commissioner Yogesh Mhase told TOI. He said fresh discussions were under way with the town planning department, and work on a new DP would start soon.
LET'S START AT THE VERY BEGINNING Released in Aug 2021, the draft development plan (DP) was mired in controversy from the onset, garnering over 60,000 objections and suggestions from citizens. The plan's troubled journey continued in Oct 2022, when Bombay HC imposed a stay on its implementation, citing procedural and planning lapses. PMRDA had hoped to revise and submit the plan afresh for approval, but the latest development has put an end to that hope too — at least for now.
"The basic concept of the plan may still be retained," a senior PMRDA official said. "But major changes, especially around road widths and land reservations, will be necessary. The revised plan will look 20 years ahead, extending up to 2046," the official said.
Till a new DP is sanctioned, authorities said the existing plan could guide basic development decisions. PLAN MEANT TO SERVE ONLY BUILDERS: CITIZENS Citizens and activists have slammed govt's decision to scrap the draft DP, calling it a betrayal of public trust. "This is nothing short of a scam," activist Ravindra Sinha said.
"The earlier draft DP demarcated land use zones that led to a massive spike in real estate prices. The plan was never meant to serve the people. It served builders' interests," he alleged.
Sinha said PMRDA's development control rules were notified in 2018, but the introduction of the Unified Development Control and Promotion Regulations (UDCPR) in 2020 allowed builders to capitalise on higher floor space index (FSI) and transfer of development rights (TDR) without a formally approved DP. This move has sparked controversy and raised concerns about unregulated development in the region. "PMRDA is effectively an unplanned region.
There is no piped water or waste management and power supply is inadequate. People bought flats in the region based on false promises," he said. Dnyanendra Hulsure, president of the Hinjawadi-Maan Residents Employees Trust, echoed the concerns and said, "Public frustration is high.
We've filed multiple PILs over inadequate infrastructure. Roads, water, electricity and waste systems, everything is falling apart." IT WAS BOUND TO FAIL: URBAN PLANNERS Veteran urban planner Ramchandra Gohad, who helped shape Pune's 1987 sanctioned DP, said PMRDA's approach lacked professionalism and legitimacy.
"There was no updated base map or property-level surveys. Consultants were appointed without verifying on-ground realities. It was a deeply flawed process," he said.
Gohad compared it to Pune's 1976-87 plan, which was built on solid technical foundations. "Back then, we had a dedicated planning cell. We conducted detailed surveys and had both a technical group and an advisory committee.
The result? Zero litigation and a sanctioned plan that worked," he said. The urban planner welcomed govt's decision to cancel the draft DP, stressing the importance of a plan that incorporated public participation. "A plan without listening to the people is bound to fail," he emphasized.
DELAYS WILL ONLY ADD TO THE CHAOS Urban planners said delays in drafting a new DP could trigger chaotic development across Pune's outskirts, especially in areas under the Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad civic bodies. "Without a legal framework, builders will continue projects unchecked. It becomes almost impossible to retrofit infrastructure once unregulated construction has taken place," a planner said.
LET PUNE CIVIC BODY PLAN FOR 23 MERGED VILLAGES The cancelled draft DP would also impact the 23 villages recently merged into the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) limits. Former opposition leader Suhas Kulkarni and BJP's Ujjwal Keskar have demanded that these areas be brought under PMC's planning authority, not PMRDA's. They plan to meet the chief minister to ensure that planning rights are given to PMC's urban planning office in keeping with the 74th constitutional amendment.
"Planning for merged villages must be integrated with the city's existing development strategies," Kulkarni said, adding, "Leaving them to PMRDA, which lacks a DP, is a disaster waiting to happen." MSRDC'S SHADOW: WHO'S REALLY IN CONTROL? Complicating matters further is the state's decision to give the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) special planning authority rights for 117 villages along the Ring Road. These areas, in Haveli, Bhor, Purandar and Mulshi tehsils, were part of the original PMRDA DP.
Critics said the move created a problem of dual authority, disrupting continuity and reducing PMRDA's jurisdiction. While PMRDA commissioner Mhase admitted it reduced infrastructure responsibility in these areas, he also pointed out a significant downside. "PMRDA will lose revenue from development charges and the overlapping jurisdictions make planning more complex," he said.
THE ROAD AHEAD ‘MUST CONSIDER GROUND REALITY' The urban planners said this was a critical juncture for Pune's growth. Govt must ensure that the new plan is transparent, technically sound and based on ground realities, they said. A phased and intermediary DP might be required to handle immediate approvals till the larger vision is redrawn.
"It's time to rebuild trust...
And that can only happen if people are truly involved in shaping the future of their city," Gohad said. A Tale of Two Development Plans Prof Ramchandra Gohad, veteran urban planner, contrasts PMRDA's flawed planning with Pune's successful 1976–87 development plan: What Worked in the 1970s Plan (Sanctioned in 1987): Special planning unit with experts from Delhi's School of Planning and Architecture Advisory Committee led by the Urban Development secretary, with representation from key govt bodies Daily oversight by a dedicated technical group Ground-level land use surveys of all properties Thorough review of proposals by both committees 80,000 public objections heard in person Final plan approved without a single litigation PMRDA's Flawed Approach: No advisory committee for policy oversight Incomplete land use documentation; few on-ground village visits Base maps not updated to reflect current realities Consultants lacked local knowledge Poor integration of natural features and heritage zones Proposals overlapped existing developed areas Ignored constitutional mandate under Article 243ZE (74th Amendment) __________________________ PMRDA never spoke to or took into consideration the farmers that are a part of their jurisdiction. It's a good thing that the plan has been scrapped because now all stakeholders can be considered.
As far as the delay is concerned, they must fast-track their process to ensure that the new plan, once approved, is implemented at the earliest. They need to plan well and plan for the future — Vikram Sakhare | Former Sarpanch, Hinjewadi Gram Panchayat _____________________ Considering that a lot of provisions of the DP were not up to the mark, it is a good thing that the plan has been scrapped. For example, the DP made provisions for multiple highrises, but nothing for visitor parking.
PMRDA was also giving amenity spaces on lease and this too can be halted now. Since the plan was first drafted, the area has changed a lot and all of this can be accounted for now — Shrikant Shelke | IT Professional.
