E-Paper
PMC negotiating with former corporators & relatives to handover land for missing links
Of the 390 missing links, the PMC has prioritised 33 missing links located in Kothrud, Karvenagar, Warje, Hadapsar, Kondhwa, Mohammadwadi, Yerawada, Lohegaon, Sinhagad Road and Kharadi
PUNE: While the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has identified 33 out of 390 ‘missing links’ spread across 273.22 km of roads in the city as crucial for easing traffic congestion, the land required for eight out of these 33 missing links belongs to former corporators and their families for which negotiations are still going on without any success.
The civic body aims to develop 390 missing links spread across 273.22 km of roads throughout the city at an estimated cost of ₹1,800 crores; the missing links ranging from 100/200 metres to 2/3 kilometres in length. Of the 390 missing links, the PMC has prioritised 33 missing links located in Kothrud, Karvenagar, Warje, Hadapsar, Kondhwa, Mohammadwadi, Yerawada, Lohegaon, Sinhagad Road and Kharadi.
Of the 33 crucial missing links, the PMC has acquired land for the development of seven links whereas work has already begun on the development of 18 links. However, land required for the development of eight out of the 33 missing links belongs to former local representatives and their families for which negotiations are already underway but nothing has materialised yet.
A senior official from the PMC road department said, “Land required for the Ambedkar Chowk to Rajaram Bridge missing link belongs to former corporator Dilip Barate’s relatives. Land required for the Handewadi to Mohammadwadi missing link belongs to former corporator Yogesh Sasane. Land required for the Railway Line to Solapur Road missing link belongs to the relatives of Yogesh Sasane. The PMC is negotiating with the former local representatives for land acquisition.”
Yogesh Sasane, former corporator from Hadapsar, said, “There are two missing links passing through my land. I have handed over the land for one missing link while we are discussing the handover of land for the other missing link. In any case, I have made it possible for the PMC to acquire land for six to seven missing links and I am also pursuing landowners to handover land to the PMC as early as possible.”
Despite several calls, former corporator Prithviraj Sutar’s- relatives were unreachable.
Vikas Dhakane, additional municipal commissioner, said, “We have concentrated on 10 important missing links, and the work will be completed within three months. We have set a target to develop 33 missing links till March 2024. We are reviewing each missing link and conducting a joint meeting with the concerned landowners. Some are cooperating and ready to handover the land to the PMC.”
Nikhil Mijar, traffic planner, elaborated on the importance of the missing links. “It is very important to develop these missing links to solve traffic problems. The road department has started the land acquisition process. Till date, the PMC has got land for seven missing links. Whereas in case of some links, the land belongs to former corporators and their relatives. PMC officials are discussing with them to handover the land to us,” Mijar said.
Civic activist Sudhir Kulkarni said, “The former corporators have double standards. On the one hand, they are appealing to private landowners to handover the land to the PMC and playing the role of negotiators while on the other, they are not handing over their land to the PMC for the development of the city…”
The PMC had collaborated with the students of MIT College for a comprehensive study of the city roads to identify the missing links. The study had considered the development plan (DP) and regional development plan (RP) of villages within the PMC limits.
Missing links wherein land belongs to former corporators and their families:
· Amanora to Keshavnagar Rail Underpass Road (Hadapsar)
· Ambedkar Chowk to Rajaram Bridge Riverside Road Jawalkar Udyan (Karve Road)
· Karve Putla Petrol Pump to Mayur Colony (Karve Road)
· Railway line to Solapur Road (Mundhwa)
· Mundhwa Road to Sade Satra Nali (Hadapsar)
· Pandhare Mala to D Mart Gaothan Road (Hadapsar)
· Shooting Range to Magarpatta City (Hadapsar)
· Handewadi Road to Mohammadwadi Road (Hadapsar)
· Parallel Road to Handewadi Road via Kumar Pebble to Industrial Plot NG 8 (Handewadi-Hadapsar)
