E-Paper
Maval farmers oppose 30m-wide service road to Pune-Mumbai e-way
Maval farmers have demanded to accommodate the service road in the acquired land for the Pune-Mumbai expressway and also to reduce the width of the service road
PUNE Farmers and locals in the Maval tehsil have raised objections against the 30-meter proposed service road to Pune- Mumbai expressway in the newly published draft development plan (DP) by the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA).
They have demanded to accommodate the service road in the acquired land for the expressway and also to reduce the width of the service road.
Locals claimed that this is the fourth time their lands would have to be given up for a developmental project and the same set of landowners are getting affected in these projects.
“We gave up land for the expressway and then for the closed water pipeline project. Hyperloop project is also proposed from the area and now PMRDA’s service road. Soon farmers in the area would be left with no land and without any prospect of employment. We have registered our objections against the proposal by PMRDA and have given our suggestions,” said Subhash Dhamankar, a resident of Urse village in Maval tehsil.
September 16, was the last day of submitting the suggestions/ objections on the PMRDA’s draft DP.
Locals from Maval are hoping that the objections would be considered and suitable changes would be made.
“It would be better if the width of the service road would be reduced to 12 metres. Also, the proposed service road should be constructed on the already acquired land my Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) for the expressway. It would save agricultural lands and employments of the locals,” said Vikas Shelar, resident of Urse Village.
“We had been demanding the service road but only from the acquired land for the expressway. Also, once the service road is constructed, there would be no development zone around it. So collectively, a huge piece of land would be wasted in that,” he said.
Some locals pointed out that though they had to give up their land, the compensation was not enough and locals are not given priority in the employment opportunities created after the completion of the projects.
“After the expressway was completed food malls, rest houses were constructed on its side. But the operators of these facilities are not locals. Local youth are neglected,” said Gulab Ghare, resident of Ozarde village.
“Locals have lost their lives earlier in the struggle to save their lands. The administration should take us into confidence and listen to our grievances,” he said.
PMRDA commissioner Suhas Divase was now available for comments immediately.
