Pune Muncipal Corporation approves riverfront development project for Mula and Mutha rivers
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party also upheld the proposal by casting their vote in favour of the proposal, though NCP, Congress, Shiv Sena and MNS opposed it.
The Pune Municipal Corporation’s general body, on Friday, gave the go-ahead for executing the Riverfront Development Project for Mula and Mutha rivers on the lines of Sabarmati Riverfront Development at Ahmedabad.
The general body approved the draft project report and the demand for special purpose vehicles (SPV) and submitted the proposal to the state government for getting river land from the irrigation department. It has also asked the state to empower the SPV for collecting the funds through various ways.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party also upheld the proposal by casting their vote in favour of the proposal, though Nationalist Congress Party, Congress, Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena opposed it.
The PMC has already given a contract to HCP Design, Planning and Management Pvt Ltd to prepare a detailed project report (DPR). Now, the civic body has given its nod to set up a company to collect funds for the project from private and government agencies.
Municipal commissioner Kunal Kumar had tabled a proposal before the general body to form the SPV for the Mula-Mutha Riverfront Development Project. Now, the civic administration has sought permission to transfer the ownership of the riverbed and riverfront from the state government to the SPV.
In 2015, the PMC had given the green signal to develop the Mula-Mutha riverfront on the lines of Sabarmati riverfront. HCP Design, Planning and Management Pvt Ltd had carried out the Sabarmati project. It had also given a presentation on the issue to the civic administration and various party leaders. Later, the company was awarded the contract to work as a consultant to the PMC to develop the riverfront.
Mula-Mutha, which flows through the PMC, Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation and Khadki and Pune Cantonment, covers a distance of 44 km. As the river is already channelised, the work of the riverfront is easier than Ahmedabad, according to experts.
Funds for the project will be raised through various sources such as loans and allotting land for commercial purpose along the river banks, similar to the Sabarmati riverfront development.
Sewage treatment
The general body of the Pune Municipal Corporation, on Friday, decided to treat the sewage generated in the 11 newly merged villages. The municipal commissioner put the proposal for building sewage treatment plants in the newly merged areas and the general body approved it. The PMC is executing the project with the help of Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA). They will be erecting a sewage treatment facility and cleaning the Mula and Mutha river. As the previous approval was only for the old city limit, the general body decided to include the newly merged areas in the project and make necessary funding arrangement for it.