PUNE Activists, along with residents, staged protest against Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) ambitious High Capacity Mass Transit Route (HCMTR) or inner ring road project, at the Savitribai Phule Pune University circle, on Saturday.
HCMTR will be completely elevated and the route will be 36km in length, with a width of 24km. For implementing the project, 77 hectares is required, and out of it, 35 hectares are already in PMC’s possession. The remaining land is owned by private parties, according to the civic officials.
Starting from the gate of the Chatuhshrungi temple, at least 100 protesters marched towards the university circle where a human chain was formed. Residents from Bopodi, Chatuhshrungi, Kelewadi, Karvenagar, Navsahayadri, NIBM road, Wadgaonsheri and Vimannagar, students and alumni from Law College and Vamnicom attended the protest march.
The protestors demanded that the HCMTR be scrapped as housing societies on the route will be affected due to the project and as alignment cuts through densely built-up area, heavy vehicles will enter the heart of the city instead of bypassing it, causing increase in air and noise pollution.
Nandkumar Angal, who took part in the protest, said, “The project will directly affect the plots that we own and the tenants living in the area. There are multiple plots and bungalows in Chatuhshrungi that will be affected by the project. We participated in the protest to oppose this plan.”
{{/usCountry}}Nandkumar Angal, who took part in the protest, said, “The project will directly affect the plots that we own and the tenants living in the area. There are multiple plots and bungalows in Chatuhshrungi that will be affected by the project. We participated in the protest to oppose this plan.”
{{/usCountry}}Environmentalists allege that the project will cause damage to the green cover as it will cut through and destroy three hills and the forests and at least 3,000 trees will be axed. The damage to canals and streams along which it is aligned and to the aquifers in the hills will be permanent.
The change in the project from a rail-based route to two-thirds of it being marked for private four-wheelers and heavy goods transport vehicles – goes against the principles of sustainable development, say activists.
Sarang Yadwadkar, one of the activists who participated in the protest, said the project encourages the use of private vehicles. “The protest was conducted today (on Saturday) as several housing societies which will be affected have recently received notices indicating that their houses will be affected due to the project. Currently, it is on standstill and we demand that it must be scrapped completely.”
Vonod Jain, a tree activist, said, “The same political parties who are opposing the project forget that their own corporators are part of the tree authority which needs to permit tree cutting. If the tree authority does not approve tree cutting then the project will be halted. Environment concerns cannot be just for namesake.”
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Allegations by residents and environmentalists
-The housing societies on the route will be affected due to the project and as alignment cuts through densely built-up area, heavy vehicles will enter the heart of the city instead of bypassing it, causing increase in air and noise pollution.
-The protestors also alleged that the alignment is based on 1982 which is irrelevant in 2019 as the the city has grown, and traffic has changed.
-They also said that the estimated cost exceeds Rs 8,500 crore which will put Pune in a debt trap. Since the state government has categorically refused to fund or stand guarantor for this project, the burden will fall on Punekars in the form of higher taxes.
-Environmentalists allege that the project will affect the green cover as it will cut through and destroy three hills and the forests and at least 3,000 trees will be axed. The damage to canals and streams along which it is aligned and to the aquifers in the hills will be permanent.