PMC planning walking plaza at Sarasbaug

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is planning a walking plaza to keep Sarasbaug – which gets more than 10,000 visitors per day – clean and tidy and also organise the hawkers that put up food stalls in the area

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is planning a walking plaza to keep Sarasbaug – which gets more than 10,000 visitors per day – clean and tidy and also organise the hawkers that put up food stalls in the area.

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is planning a walking plaza to keep Sarasbaug – which gets more than 10,000 visitors per day – clean and tidy (HT FILE PHOTO)

PMC anti-encroachment department head Madhav Jagtap said, “Sarasbaug is an iconic garden. Many visitors come here, but as hawkers, mainly food stall owners occupy the entrance, the garden looks dirty. The hawkers have encroached upon most of the entrance space, leaving no place for citizens to walk. Hence, we have decided to come up with a walking plaza here and also allocate dedicated space to hawkers.”

“We put forth the proposal to the municipal commissioner for approval. We also discussed with hawkers and took into account their suggestions and came up with a concrete plan. As per the new plan, the walking plaza will allow citizens to move freely and have an enjoyable experience. Vehicles will be banned on the main road and will be allowed only till Peshwe Park,” added Jagtap.

In May this year, the PMC anti-encroachment department sealed all 56 stalls covering the road going towards the main entrance of Sarasbaug. This created conflict between the hawkers and the civic body.

After PMC’s action, the hawkers are now ready to do business in the space allocated to them by the civic body. Once the municipal commissioner approves the plan, work on ground will be initiated, said officials.

“We are hoping to get the nod for the walking plaza at Sarasbaug in the next two-three days,” added Jagtap.