PCMC to rope in BMC or private player to revise DP

Pimpri Chinchwad: The revised development plan of old city areas of the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation will be prepared either by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) or one of the two private agencies that have submitted bids for the project. A decision in this regard will be taken at the general body meeting next week.

The urban development ministry recently told PCMC to revise its development plan, along with the financial estimates, process of preparing the DP, stipulated time frame, and submit it to the state government. PCMC officials and elected office bearers have been asked to hold meetings with BMC officials.

Last year, the civic body had invited bids for revising the DP. However, they received only one tender from All India Local Self Government. PCMC then re-invited bids and received tenders from two private agencies.

PCMC town planning officials urged that there is a need to revise the DP under the sections of Maharashtra Regional Town Planning Act. The municipal corporation will have to conduct a ground survey and also procure high-resolution satellite images for a seamless digital representation of the old city areas, the officials said. A sum of Rs3 crore has been set aside for the initial phase of the project. Once the revised DP is prepared, the civic body will invite public suggestions and objections.

Civic activist Maruti Bhapkar has submitted a letter to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis suggesting that BMC should revise the development plan.

The total area of 86 sq km comprises Pimpri, Chinchwad, Bhosari, Akurdi, Nigdi, and some fringe villages. The Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation area covering 12.5 sq km has been included in the DP.