E-Paper
HC asks PMC, state to file say on Baner-Pashan link road delay
Hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the Baner Pashan Link Road Welfare Trust (BPLRW), representing residents of the area, a bench headed by chief justice Dipankar Datta, on Monday, issued the notice to the PMC
PUNE The Bombay High Court (HC) has asked the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and the state government to file a response on the delay over the construction of the Baner Pashan link road.
Hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the Baner Pashan Link Road Welfare Trust (BPLRW), representing residents of the area, a bench headed by chief justice Dipankar Datta, on Monday, issued the notice to the PMC.
“The Bombay High Court has heard the PIL and taken cognisance of the issue of the incomplete 36 metre-wide Baner Pashan Link road. The High Court has passed an order to issue a notice to the PMC, the district collector, the Urban Development Department and Town Planning and the valuation department to file their response regarding the grevance of the petitioner, i.e, Baner Pashan Link Road Welfare Trust. The respondents have to file their response by 10.01.2022, when the matter will be heard again by the bench headed by Dipankar Datta,” said Satya Muley, the counsel appearing for the trust.
The trust had approached the Bombay High Court in September 2021 as work is still incomplete 30 years after the road was sanctioned.
When contacted, the PMC road department said they have not received the notice yet
“We are happy with court decision and we are hopeful for justice,” said Rajendra Chuttar, president of the trust. He along with 2,000 families have been holding talks with the PMC for completion of the link road since 2014. HT first reported this issue in 2017.
“The connectivity has been severely hampered due to incomplete roads with the most important being the 36-metre Baner-Pashan link road, from Wakeshwar chowk on Sus Pashan road to Rolling Hills chowk, as per the development plan (DP) of 1993. This road is pending due to a delay in land acquisition by the PMC. The road has been partially constructed in 2014 and is existing from both the ends, but two small stretches, collectively of 200 metres, are remaining incomplete rendering the entire 1.2km long road inutile. The existing alternative is a narrow 7m-wide road with incomplete footpaths, and no possibility of widening due to existing structures,” said Chuttar.
Residents made several representations since 2014 to the PMC commissioners and several elected representatives. They have even conducted lawful silent protests on several occasions, sans any positive result. The PMC authorities have remained non-committal as to when the road will be completed.
