The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has resumed a hearing on the proposed widening of city roads from six to nine metres. The final hearings began on Wednesday, of residents of Kothrud, Karvenagar and Aundh.
This area has maximum green cover and residents fear trees will be cut to widen the road.
The civic body has also received opposition from Kothrud, Shivajinagar, Erandwane, Parvati-Sahakarnagar, Bibwewadi and Mohamadwadi.
Sudhar Kadam, executive engineer, building permission and development department, said, “Due to second wave of Covid-19, there were strict restriction. So, we had stopped the hearings. After unlocking we resumed.”
He added, “Most residents are concerned about the cutting of trees and wider roads being used for parking. Bungalow owners fear a breach of privacy. The hearing will be completed next week after which, the report will be submitted to the standing committee.”
Sarang Wable, a resident from Baner, said, “It is not required to increase the width of the road. PMC needs to first complete the pending DP roads as well as the connecting roads which will solve the traffic issue.”
Yaswant Jambhe, a resident of Kothrud said, “Road widening is necessary, as roads are narrow. Width of roads was designed as per old norms of city. While widening roads, the corporation should have of the trees. We don’t want to lose the green cover due to development. There should be a balance between development and nature.”
{{/usCountry}}Yaswant Jambhe, a resident of Kothrud said, “Road widening is necessary, as roads are narrow. Width of roads was designed as per old norms of city. While widening roads, the corporation should have of the trees. We don’t want to lose the green cover due to development. There should be a balance between development and nature.”
{{/usCountry}}Vinay Karandikar, a resident of Aundh said, “Aundh, and Kothrud have good green cover. We are against tree cutting due to road widening. Wide roads never solved any problem. In my area, there are numbers of tree in the path of the plan. So, I am against the road widening.”
PMC has proposed a widening of a total 335 roads, of which 255 roads are in the old city limits, and the remaining in suburban areas
The civic body has received responses from 1,800 citizens. Prima facie, PMC has found that 135 roads have seen very few, or no objections, so far.