PCMC to come up with five-year infrastructure plan for Industrial areas

The total area of PCMC is 181 sq. km., out of which 12.24 sq. km. falls under MIDC’s planning jurisdiction. PCMC will invest ₹100 crore in the first phase for road upgrades and new road construction

In a major step to address long-standing infrastructure issues in the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) areas and unapproved industrial zones located in the twin city of Pimpri-Chinchwad, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) will come up with a comprehensive five-year development plan, said the officials.

A dedicated consultant has been appointed to design the development plan. (HT)

The initiative aims to transform ageing industrial areas like Bhosari, Akurdi, Pimpri, Chinchwad, Talawade, and Chikhali, which have struggled for decades with poor roads, drainage problems, and waste management challenges. Despite contributing around ₹320 crore annually in taxes to the civic body, these industrial zones, housing over 7,200 industrial units, have lacked basic infrastructure.

The total area of PCMC is 181 sq. km., out of which 12.24 sq. km. falls under MIDC’s planning jurisdiction. PCMC will invest ₹100 crore in the first phase for road upgrades and new road construction. A dedicated consultant has been appointed to design the development plan. Temporary repairs worth ₹7–8 crore will be carried out until the full-scale work begins. Over ₹200 crore has already been spent on roads in the past four years,’ said Shekhar Singh, municipal commissioner, PCMC.

“This is the first time a structured, long-term plan has been created exclusively for industrial infrastructure. We’re not just fixing roads but trying to build future-ready facilities and networks for the industries,” said Singh.

According to PCMC officials, there is currently no drainage network in these industrial areas. PCMC has prepared a detailed drainage plan, which includes 27 MLD capacity CETPs (Common Effluent Treatment Plants) that will be built by MIDC at a cost of ₹850 crore. These will treat waste from both organised and unorganised industrial units, helping reduce pollution in the Pavana and Indrayani rivers. Besides, the PCMC will construct STPs (Sewage Treatment Plants) of 20 MLD and drainage lines, which will cost around ₹650 crore, they said.

Furthermore, PCMC’s Health Department recently surveyed all 7,200 industries to understand the quantity and type of waste generated, including hazardous waste. The civic body has launched an awareness campaign among industries and has begun collecting industrial waste to prevent fires at garbage depots. Additional manpower and machinery will be deployed to improve waste collection and disposal.

Pradeep Jambhale Patil, additional municipal commissioner, PCMC, said, The MIDC area has perennial problems of waterlogging due to inadequate stormwater lines. “As per the plan, the PCMC has surveyed natural drains (nallahs) in these areas. We recently cleared the waterlogging issues in the J Block and T Block of MIDC. Besides, encroachments along nallahs by industries have been identified and will be removed from next week,” he said.

Moreover, PCMC has identified 11 locations in industrial zones to build new public toilets. A dedicated fire station for MIDC areas is also being planned to be set up in the MIDC area, they said.

According to the officials, a high-level meeting under Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar is scheduled to review the plan. The state government has already approved the CETP and STP projects. PCMC will also coordinate with MIDC and PMRDA to ensure smooth implementation.