Pune draft development plan finally scrapped

PMRDA's draft development plan has been scrapped due to over 67,000 objections and a High Court stay, with a new plan to be issued soon.

Pune: The Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority’s (PMRDA) draft development plan (DP) has formally been scrapped, with the planning authority issuing a notification on Friday confirming the cancellation.

A crowded area in Pimpri-Chinchwad (HT)

PMRDA was set up in 2015 to improve infrastructure and living conditions in areas outside the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporations. In 2021, the authority announced the draft DP, which drew over 67,000 objections and suggestions. However, in March 2023, the High Court stayed the plan and directed that the existing status be maintained.

As the case continued, the state government decided to cancel the project. Chief minister and PMRDA chairman Devendra Fadnavis had issued instructions, leading to the final gazette notification.

“The existing Regional Plan will remain in force until a new draft development plan is ready. A fresh structural plan will be published soon, with emphasis on future land reservations and road infrastructure,” a PMRDA official said.

Ujjwal Keskar of Aapla Parisar forum for citizens said, “We had maintained from the start that PMRDA does not have the authority to prepare a development plan. The 74th Constitutional Amendment gives this power to the Metropolitan Planning Committee, not to a Special Planning Authority. We fought a long legal battle, and today, the right decision has been taken.”