Kothrud residents take on MIT-WPU over construction

Pune: Kothrud residents staged a protest on Monday to voice their protest against MIT World Peace University (MIT-WPU)'s construction activities at Vetal tekdi, claiming it would damage the natural habitat of peacocks and burden the area's infrastructure.
As many as 250 people came together and marched towards the university where they chanted slogans and demanded an immediate halt to all new construction work. Children, senior citizens and students were part of the demonstration near the university's gate.
People expressed their concern about the ongoing development works which would lead to an increase in student population, further straining the burdened local infrastructure. They urged the university to stop all construction activities and consider relocating some students to reduce pressure on the area.
MIT-WPU registrar Ganesh Pokale told TOI, "We refute all allegations. Claims about noise, dust, environmental damage and legal violations are untrue and misleading. The land under construction is designated as a residential plot, where new facilities for a studio are being developed. It will not pressure the infrastructure." The university also issued a statement saying, "We reserve the right to take legal action if such false claims continue to spread. We reject all false and baseless allegations."
The residents said construction work would increase the student population — worsening traffic congestion, pollution, water scarcity and general disturbance — conditions with which residents are already struggling.
Construction behind Sigma One, a society near the university, is encroaching upon the Vetal tekdi slope, a natural habitat for at least 50 peacocks, they claimed. Moreover, excavation activities would disrupt natural water aquifers, increasing the risk of floods during monsoons, they added.
Residents said alarm bells went off when the university began to clear out vegetation and trees on the hill slope over the last few months. "The approach road to the construction site violates biodiversity park reservations and hilltop-hillslope zone rules. The spot is where citizens come to feed peacocks. Ever since the project started on the hillslope, peacocks have been displaced. Legal or not, this is destruction of the natural green cover and disruption of the only few animal habitats. We oppose the activities. Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) must take accountability for the problems too — they cannot say there is a staff crunch preventing them from carrying out anti-encroachment drives," said Sandeep Bhadkamkar, a member of Citizens' Forum for ward 11.
Protesters said the student population had risen from 5,000 to over 22,000 in five years because of the university. With the increase had come problems of encroachments, lack of pedestrian spaces, illegal parking and accidents.
"We want PMC to ensure no encroachments take up space reserved for pedestrians and local residents. We want them to look at permissions issued for construction activities. Meanwhile, the university must evaluate the parking situation. Vehicles should be accommodated within the campus and not on the streets, something that causes large-scale traffic congestions," said Ramachandra Nirmal, a resident of the area.