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PMRDA withdraws draft Development Plan, but legal row over 23 villages set to continue
In an affidavit submitted before Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Sandeep V Marne, PMRDA stated that it had passed a resolution to withdraw the draft DP formally
The Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) informed the Bombay High Court on Tuesday of its decision to withdraw the controversial Draft Development Plan (DP) announced in August 2021. However, the legal dispute over the planning jurisdiction of 23 villages, merged into the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) limits in 2021, remains unresolved, with two petitions scheduled for hearing on August 25.
In an affidavit submitted before Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Sandeep V Marne, PMRDA stated that it had passed a resolution to withdraw the draft DP formally. The move signals a significant shift in the long-standing tussle over planning authority in parts of the rapidly urbanising Pune region.
The draft DP had attracted widespread criticism, with over 60,000 objections and suggestions pouring in from residents and civic groups. In October 2022, the High Court stayed the plan, citing procedural and planning irregularities. PMRDA had indicated it would revise and reintroduce the plan, but its latest submission to the court suggests that those efforts have been dropped, at least for the time being.
“With PMRDA submitting the affidavit in the High Court, the draft DP now officially stands withdrawn,” said advocate Ritvik Joshi, representing former PMC corporator Ujjwal Keskar.
Meanwhile, the core issue of whether PMRDA or PMC holds planning rights over the 23 merged villages is still pending before the court.
Advocate Ritvik Joshi said, “We have challenged the state government’s notification of July 14, 2021, which appointed PMRDA as the Special Planning Authority under Section 40 of the MRTP Act. This directly infringes on PMC’s jurisdiction, as these villages now fall within the municipal limits.”
The petitioners have also contested the very foundation of the DP released by PMRDA, arguing that it illegally includes areas that are now officially part of Pune city. The High Court is expected to hear and deliberate on this issue on August 25, potentially shaping the planning roadmap for the city’s expanding boundaries.
