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Pune Riverfront Project Faces Uncertainty as Activists and Officials Clash Over Environmental Concerns

Deputy Speaker orders work stoppage and plan revisions, but PCMC commissioner insists construction will proceed under legal clearances.

Earlier, after facing sustained opposition, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) had announced it would revise RFD plans impacting the Ramnadi-Mula devrai (sacred grove) and avoid tree felling on an eight-hectare site. (HT PHOTO)
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PCMC commissioner Shekhar Singh made it clear that RFD project would not be halted and work would continue as planned. (HT)

Overview

  • Thousands of citizens protested on April 27, demanding a halt to the Riverfront Development project over ecological concerns, including alleged illegal tree felling and riverbank destruction.
  • Deputy Speaker Anna Bansode instructed Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal authorities to halt construction, conduct an inquiry, and revise plans with a conservation focus within two months.
  • Despite Bansode's orders, PCMC commissioner Shekhar Singh stated that the project will continue, citing approvals from regulatory bodies and legal clearances.
  • Activists argue the project prioritizes beautification over river health, warning of biodiversity loss, wetland destruction, and increased flood risks.
  • The Riverfront Development project spans multiple phases, with PMC targeting 80% completion of Phase I by June, while citizen groups prepare to escalate opposition.