Rs 320 crore budgetary push to town planning schemes

PUNE: Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis’ decision on Friday to allocate Rs320 crore as the budget for the town-planning schemes undertaken by the Pune Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (PMRDA) is expected to give the necessary push to the realty sector, stressed officials.



Of the Rs1722 crore-budget, approximately Rs569 cr, or 33%, was allocated for the ring road and 23% (Rs392 crore) for the metro land acquisition work. As much as 19%, or Rs320 crore, has been allocated for the proposed town planning schemes, infrastructure work, and land acquisition.

“The Mhalunge-Mann town planning scheme is in the final stages of implementation with the arbitration process currently underway. The Manjri-Khurd town planning scheme has been published and four more are to be published soon. This will provide a major push for housing in this region,” stated Pimpri Chinchwad municipal commissioner Shravan Hardikar, who also holds additional charge of PMRDA.

Among the villages considered for the townships after Manjri Khurd are Wadachi Wadi, Avatalewadi, Holkarwadi, Wadki, Manjri Budruk, Phursungi, Urali Devachi, Yevalewadi, Pissoli and Handewadi. While some of these villages will have one township only, others may have two, a PMRDA official added.

Along the first 32km stretch of the proposed 128km ring road, 15 more town planning schemes are expected. The projects are based on the Ahmedabad town planning scheme under which over 78 townships were developed over 10 years. The present ring road can cater to 50 such townships, stated the official.

The town planning schemes provide a win-win situation for both the administration and land owner as villagers stand to get 50% of the plots in the same area.

The official said the challenges include maintaining communication with villagers that tends to delays project execution. The schemes have been proposed in an effort to make the 128-km Ring Road Project self-sustainable thanks to planned development.