Citizens’ protest today for Baner-Pashan Link Road

PUNE: Residents of Baner, Pashan and adjoining areas will stage a silent protest on February 23 at Rolling Hills Chowk on Baner-Pashan Link Road. The protest is against the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) for not completing 120 ft new Baner-Pashan Link Road which was part of the DP of 1992.

Rajendra Chutaar, President of Baner Pashan Link Road Welfare Trust (BPLRVS), said, “The existing link road is of 12 metres. Due to encroachments it has reduced to 9 metres. Thus, traffic congestion and accidents have been taking place. More than 10,000 residents from 62 societies from Baner and Pashan are facing this problem daily.”

Ravindra Sinha, Secretary of BPLRVS, said, “The 120 ft Baner-Pashan road was part of the DP of 1992 for Pashan and many residents bought properties in the area after rapid development of the area post 1997. Many expected the road to be completed, but that was not the case.”

“From 2015 onwards, we raised this issue and more than 60 meetings with political parties and civic body have taken place. Six to seven RTI queries have been filed. Several grievances have been filed online. In 2016, more than 5,000 citizens participated in a signature campaign which was sent to the PMC and political parties and in 2017 more than 300 citizens staged a silent protest over the same issue,” Sinha added

In 2015, the then PMC commissioner Kunal Kumar said that in three months, i.e. till March 31, 2015 the land will be acquired and the work will start, but nothing as such happened, Sinha said.

During the protest the residents will demand completion of the link road within six months, else they will proceed with a PIL in High Court seeking a ban on all building construction activity in Pune untill DP roads are constructed.