Zone 1 has the most parks but the least green cover, zone 3 leads in open space: PMC report

Pune's zone 1 has the least green cover despite many parks, while zone 3 has more open space. Experts urge focus on eco-restoration over artificial greenery.

PUNE: Despite having the highest number of parks, Pune’s zone 1 has the least green cover in terms of area whereas zone 3 – home to fewer but larger parks – has maximum open space in the city. These are the findings of the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC’s) latest Environmental Status Report (ESR) 2024–25.

Zone 1 has the most parks but the least green cover, zone 3 leads in open space: PMC report

As per the ESR 2024-25, zone 1 – which includes densely populated areas such as Yerawada, Vishrantwadi, Vadgaon Sheri, Dhole Patil Road, Nagar Road and Kharadi – has a total of 52 parks. However, the combined area of these parks adds up to just 3,223.12 square metres, averaging about 62 square metres per park which is barely enough for public recreation.

Zone 1 residents have repeatedly raised concerns about this scenario. Sonu Adsul, a resident of Vishrantwadi, said, “Our area is densely populated but there is not a single large park.”

By contrast, zone 3—which covers Warje-Karvenagar, Sinhagad Road, Dhankawadi and Sahakarnagar—has just 40 parks yet boasts a whopping 943,514.08 square metres of parkland which includes larger green spaces like the Rajiv Gandhi Biodiversity Park and several hill zones, making it the most spacious zone in terms of greenery.

Fewer parks, more pressure in zone 4

Whereas zone 4 – comprising areas such as Kondhwa, Yewalewadi, Hadapsar, Mundhwa, and Bibwewadi – has only 33 parks (568,646 square metres), which is the lowest among all the zones. Despite rapid growth in real estate and the information technology (IT) sector, this zone lags behind in terms of open green spaces. Experts point out that development plans have failed to reserve adequate land for public parks in this high-density zone.

Focus on eco-restoration, not artificial greenery

Sachin Punekar, botanist and former member of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) tree authority committee, has raised serious concerns over the PMC’s recent claims of increasing the city’s green cover through the development of public gardens and the plantation of trees. According to him, this approach lacks ecological depth and fails to address the real environmental needs of the city.

“The PMC is focusing on increasing the number of parks and planting decorative or exotic trees that look green but do not contribute meaningfully to the city’s ecological health,” Punekar said.

He pointed out that the greenery visible in many urban parks is largely aesthetic, featuring ornamental plants and foreign species that do not support local biodiversity. He emphasised that such greenery, while visually appealing, offers little ecological benefit and cannot substitute natural ecosystems.

Instead, he urged the PMC to prioritise restoration of natural, eco-sensitive zones in and around Pune. He specifically mentioned areas such as the Ramnadi basin, Mula river and its confluence zones, Naik Bet (island) near the Mula-Mutha, and Taljai Tekdi among others.

“These are ecologically rich pockets that play a vital role in biodiversity conservation, groundwater recharge, and maintenance of ecological balance. Unfortunately, the PMC has completely ignored them in its environmental planning,” he said.

Punekar recommended that such zones be officially declared as biodiversity heritage sites (BHSs) or biodiversity ownership and development (BOD) areas, ensuring their long-term legal protection and ecological management.

He further criticised the PMC for failing to undertake any genuine eco-restoration project in recent years. According to him, the civic body is misleading citizens by showcasing artificial forest patches or manmade green spaces as examples of improved ecological cover.

On his part, Ashok Ghorpade, chief superintendent of the PMC garden department, said, “We have developed gardens based on the reserved land shown in the city’s development plan (DP). That is why some areas have fewer gardens. But the number of gardens will increase in future as the merged villages have now come under PMC limits.”