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Proposed Balbharti Road pits Punekars against Punekars
The debate – which later turned acrimonious - started with former MCCIA president and lead, PPCR, Sudhir Mehta, supporting the project on social media, immediately followed by some residents countering his views even as others seconded him
PUNE: A project which had earlier met with opposition in 1987 but has now got the go-ahead from the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) - the 2.1 km, elevated, Balbharti-Paud Phata Link Road passing through Vetal tekdi (hill) – has pitted one set of Punekars against another with the ‘Green Pune Movement’ resisting it and the ‘Pune Platform for Collaborative Response (PPCR)’ supporting it.
The debate – which later turned acrimonious - started with former MCCIA president and lead, PPCR, Sudhir Mehta, supporting the project on social media, immediately followed by some residents countering his views even as others seconded him.
Mehta later responded to the criticism saying, “While I fully recognise and respect the differing opinions of those who are against the Balbharti-Paud Phata Link Road and even their choice of terms like ‘ultracrepidarian’ and ‘stooge’ for me, I believe it is crucial for them to also appreciate the perspectives of those of us who support the project. It is vital to consider the positive impact on the local economy and the development of the city. While your anger and concern for the environment is justified, so is our concern for a growing economy, a booming population and a Pune of the future.”
Among the residents opposing the project, one Sumita Kale, called it ‘very harmful’. Responding to Mehta’s post, she said, “With all due respect, we seriously do not understand why you believe this specific road serves any interest of the city. Please don’t use generalisations and please understand the facts and data which show this is a very harmful project.” The opponents of the project have gone ahead and initiated an online petition against it.
While the PMC had conducted a survey in July 2022 to establish whether the proposed road was feasible or not, it never revealed its findings. Earlier this week, the ‘Green Pune Movement’ issued a press release stating among other things, how Punekars hadn’t forgotten the debacle of the Savitribai Phule University flyover which had to be pulled down within 10 years as it was found defeating the very purpose for which it had been built. “Our concern is that the Balbharti Road will be similarly disastrous - and with no accountability. When the university flyover was demolished, it was a costly mistake but only in terms of taxpayer money. The Balbharti Road will result in a similar mess; it will not only cost us hundreds of crores of rupees but will also create an additional congestion point near Symbiosis, and irreversibly destroy a large chunk of a hillslope that is home to a precious urban forest and is an important groundwater recharge zone,” the release stated.
While the Balbharti Road had met with opposition from environmentalists when first proposed, the PMC is now keen on going ahead with the project which is also being pushed aggressively by Shivajinagar legislator, Siddharth Shirole.
