E-Paper
State government forms committee to review Pune’s floodline
Civic activists are demanding that the Mula-Mutha riverfront development project be put on hold until the committee’s report is submitted
Following the high court directives, the state government has formed an eight-member supervisory committee to review previous actions on Pune city’s floodline and submit report within four weeks. The panel comprises experts from the water resources department and other departments. Civic activists are demanding that the Mula-Mutha riverfront development project be put on hold until the committee’s report is submitted.
The state government constituted the committee after the court gave the directive in June 26. The panel formed by the government order signed by additional secretary Sonal Gaikwad consists of additional chief secretary (water resources), Mumbai as chairman; principal secretary, urban development department, Mumbai; principal secretary, environment department, Mumbai; executive director, Maharashtra Krishna Basin Development Corporation, Pune; director general, Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority (MWRRA), Nashik; additional commissioner, Pune Municipal Corporation; director, National Institute of Water Sciences, Roorkee, or their representative; and deputy secretary (water resources), Mumbai, who will serve as member secretary. The committee is also authorised to invite other experts or officials.
The committee’s tasks include reviewing previous actions regarding Pune city’s floodline, studying national and other state procedures for floodlines, preparing a comprehensive plan and detailed blueprint for Pune’s floodline demarcation, determining the necessary manpower, and implementing actions based on the High Court’s judgement related to the public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Sarang Yadwadkar.
Civic activists and petitioners had demanded remapping of the city’s floodlines, which were scrapped due to the implementation of the riverfront development project.
Yadwadkar said, “After the committee is formed, PMC should immediately stop work on the Mula-Mutha riverfront development project on moral, logical, and scientific grounds. If not, they must take responsibility for any damage to properties and human habitats during the monsoon season.”
Vivek Velankar, another petitioner said, “PMC should stop work for at least four weeks, as the state government has ordered the committee to file a report within that time. If PMC continues the work, they are wasting taxpayers’ money and creating a dangerous situation for the city.”
He said that if the Mula-Mutha floodlines change, PMC will have to either adjust their work accordingly or demolish what they have already done at the river, and it will be waste of public money.
One of the senior officials of PMC riverfront development project said, “We will continue the work as the state has given no directive to stop it. The committee will review Pavana and Indrayani rivers’ floodlines.”
Project status
The Mula-Mutha riverbank in Pune, stretching 44 km, will be beautified similar to the Sabarmati River in Gujarat. Approved in 2018, the 11-phase project costs ₹4,727 crore. Three of the phases are in progress on pilot basis. Phase one has a cost of ₹700 crore funded by PMC, while the remaining will be covered on public-private partnership (PPP) basis.
PMC has awarded phase 9 work to Shirke company. It is a 3.7 km stretch from Sangamwadi to Bund Garden and the company has completed 63% work till date. A 5.3km stretch from Bund Garden to Mundhwa is a part of phase 10. It includes a 30-metre-wide road along Koregaon Park and is being handled by J Kumar Company on PPP basis and is 25% complete. Overall, 50% of river beautification project is done. However, a 2.5 km stretch of forest department land still needs to be acquired for the Bund Garden to Mundhwa section.
