Overview
- A bench of Chief Justice Bhushan Gavai and Justice Vinod Chandran ordered that construction cannot begin unless environmental clearance is granted by the EIA authority.
- Pune Municipal Corporation said it will conduct a site visit, appoint a consultant, and seek to secure the clearance in about two months.
- Environmentalists told the court the alignment cuts through a ‘virgin forest hill’ hosting over 400 species and around 1,700 trees and supports groundwater recharge.
- Earlier assessments cited to the court include an ERA recommendation for a four-season study and a CEC view cautioning against construction at present.
- PMC argues the elevated route is a designated Development Plan road that skirts forest land, with pillars at the hill’s base and afforestation to offset tree loss, and says the 2.1 km link would ease congestion on Law College, Fergusson College, and Karve roads.