PMRDA’s Mahalunge-Maan TP scheme hits administrative roadblock after merger with PMC

The Mahalunge–Maan town planning scheme near Hinjewadi IT Park faces delays due to uncertainty over administrative control after merging with Pune Municipal Corporation.

The ambitious Mahalunge–Maan town planning (TP) scheme near Hinjewadi Information Technology (IT) Park has hit an administrative roadblock following the merger of the area with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), creating uncertainty over which authority will implement the project.

The scheme proposes a planned urban layout with roads, water supply networks, sewage infrastructure and green spaces. (HT)

The Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA), which was earlier the special planning authority for the area, has written to the state government seeking clarity on whether or not it will retain control of the scheme or whether it will be transferred to the PMC. Officials said a final decision from the state urban development department be crucial for the project to move ahead.

“The matter has been referred to the state government for guidance. Since the area is now within PMC limits, a clear directive is required on whether PMRDA will continue as the planning authority or whether the project will be handed over to the municipal corporation. The letter was sent to the urban development department in the first week of April, and we are still awaiting directions from the government,” a PMRDA official said.

Launched in 2017, the project spans nearly 250 hectares and is based on the land pooling model, under which landowners receive developed plots in exchange for their land. The scheme proposes a planned urban layout with roads, water supply networks, sewage infrastructure and green spaces. While the technical processes were nearing completion, the jurisdictional change has cast uncertainty over the project’s implementation.

The scheme covers around 850 to 1,000 landowners and proposes a 30 km road network, with 30–35% of the land reserved for public amenities and 65-70% earmarked for residential and commercial use.

With the administrative decision still pending, infrastructure work in the area has come to a standstill, affecting road construction, water supply and drainage projects. The delay has also stalled plot redistribution and impacted land transactions, leaving both landowners and investors worried.

The project area, located close to the Hinjewadi IT hub, was expected to witness rapid urban development. However, the lack of clarity over administrative control has slowed down growth prospects in the region.

Sudhir Kulkarni, a civic activist, said that the situation has exposed gaps in coordination between planning authorities during city boundary expansions. He added that given the strategic importance of the area for Pune’s future urban growth, stakeholders are now awaiting a clear resolution from the state government.