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Pune civic chief unveils 8-point plan to improve city’s infra
The initiative targets the city’s growing environmental and infrastructure challenges, prioritizing air quality, pedestrian safety, and sustainable mobility
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) commissioner Naval Kishore Ram on Friday launched an ambitious eight-point strategy. The initiative targets the city’s growing environmental and infrastructure challenges, prioritizing air quality, pedestrian safety, and sustainable mobility.
The roadmap was discussed during a meeting held at the Pune district collector’s office, bringing together senior officials from the PMC, traffic police, Regional Transport Office (RTO), Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), public works department, urban mobility experts, NGOs and private stakeholders.
One of the key proposals discussed was to develop the Shivajinagar area as a pilot emission-free zone, aimed at significantly reducing vehicular pollution in one of the city’s busiest transport and commercial hubs. Ram said, “The pilot project could later be expanded to other parts of the city depending on its success.”
Another major focus area of the plan is pedestrian-first urban planning, with the civic administration proposing comprehensive improvements in footpaths, crossings and street infrastructure to make walking safer and more accessible.
The PMC is planning to appoint urban designers and mobility experts to redesign major streets with a focus on walkability, urban safety and inclusive public spaces. The move is expected to introduce globally accepted street design principles that prioritise pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users over private vehicles.
The meeting also deliberated on introducing a parking policy covering six major roads to regulate roadside parking and free up carriageway space currently occupied by vehicles.
To promote sustainable and non-motorised mobility, the PMC also proposed the development of a 35-km structured cycling network, which will focus on safer cycling corridors and integration with public transport hubs.
In addition, the civic body presented a structural improvement plan for PMPML, the city’s public bus transport service, aimed at improving operational efficiency and encouraging more residents to shift from private vehicles to buses.
Another key component of the initiative is a school area safety improvement plan, focusing on creating safer street environments around educational institutions. Measures proposed include traffic calming, improved pedestrian crossings, restricted vehicular movement during school hours and better footpath connectivity.
Ram said, “We brought together all stakeholders, including traffic experts, policymakers, NGOs, police and PMC officials to work towards improving the city, especially air quality, congestion and pedestrian safety. The PMC is ready to bring about drastic and transformational changes, and the results will be there to see.”
He added that the civic administration will closely monitor the progress of the proposed measures. “We will review the progress after fifteen days. Experts have also been asked to incorporate newly merged areas into these plans so that development does not remain limited to only traditional city areas,” he said.
Pune district collector Jitendra Dudi said the district administration is taking a proactive approach by bringing multiple agencies and experts together to address the city’s environmental and mobility challenges.
“Pollution, congestion and encroachments are among the major issues affecting the city. By bringing together experts, government agencies and civic bodies, we are working towards a coordinated strategy that can deliver practical and long-term solutions,” Dudi said.
He added that such consultations will help ensure stronger implementation of pollution control measures and improve coordination among departments responsible for urban infrastructure and environmental regulation.
“We are committed to making Pune’s roads and footpaths among the best in the country by prioritising pedestrian-friendly design and safe, obstruction-free walkways. A well-planned street network encourages walking, reduces congestion and vehicle dependence, and ultimately contributes to better air quality and a healthier urban environment for citizens,” said city engineer Aniruddha Pawaskar.
