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PMRDA proposes megaprojects in draft DP; former commissioner terms it poor planning
PUNE: The Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) has proposed several megaprojects including an automobile hub, riverfront pilgrimage hub, life science and agriculture hub, aerotropolis, and industry and education hub in the draft development plan (DP) published last week
PUNE: The Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) has proposed several megaprojects including an automobile hub, riverfront pilgrimage hub, life science and agriculture hub, aerotropolis, and industry and education hub in the draft development plan (DP) published last week.
Metropolitan commissioner Suhas Diwase said, “As Pune is growing and many industries are already concentrated in the peripheral areas, the PMRDA is planning to boost all these sectors.”
With Chakan known for its automobile sector and nearly all of the world’s top brands having plants in this sector, the PMRDA plans to promote Chakan as an automobile and sub-regional centre. Alandi is a known religious destination in Maharashtra and people from all over the state visit Alandi and Dehu. Therefore, the PMRDA plans to develop and promote Alandi as a riverfront pilgrimage hub. The Loni-Kalbhor area is home to petroleum and pharmaceuticals companies; the PMRDA plans to promote it as a life science and agriculture hub. The state government had planned to build Pune’s international airport at Saswad. The PMRDA plans to develop it as an aerotropolis with a boost to all related services. Pirangut is fast developing as a knowledge hub while the Shikrapur area on Nagar Road houses many industries. PMRDA plans to promote the region as a logistics and industrial hub.
PMRDA is the third-largest metropolitan area in the country and the largest in the state. However, former metropolitan commissioner of the PMRDA, Mahesh Zagade, has come down heavily on the draft DP and the various megaprojects proposed therein. He has criticised the PMRDA for a very poor plan and for missing the opportunity to make the region more integrated.
