Tejas Navale

Pune: The development plan for 11 newly included villages within the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) limits has been handed over to the state government due to a failure to secure municipal-level approval within the stipulated timeframe. As a result, the PMC has halted construction permissions in these villages since last March. Additional Municipal Commissioner Ravindra Binwade stated that the administration has initiated correspondence with the state government to obtain permission to resume construction activities.

In 2017, the villages of Lohgaon (remaining), Mundhwa (remaining Keshavnagar), Hadapsar (entire Sadesatranli), Shivane (entire Uttamnagar), Shivane, Ambegaon Khurd, Undri, Dhairi, Ambegaon Budruk, Fursungi, and Devachi Uruli were incorporated into the PMC. The municipal-level development plan preparation for these villages was significantly delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with work suspended for over a year and a half. The state government granted three extensions to the planning period.

The political landscape in Maharashtra shifted in 2019 when the Shiv Sena, Congress, and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) formed an alliance, leading to political upheaval. Despite the BJP holding power in the PMC, the final decision on the development plan rested with the state government, resulting in the plan not being approved at the municipal level.

In 2022, another political shift occurred with the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government. Subsequently, in March 2022, the PMC elections were not held, and an administrator was appointed. This administrative change further sidelined the development plan. The three-time extension granted by the state government expired in March 2024, placing the draft development plan under state jurisdiction. Consequently, the PMC has ceased issuing construction permits in the 11 villages for the past three months.

The halt in construction permits has left the residents of these villages vulnerable, impacting their ability to undertake new projects and land acquisitions. Additionally, the municipal administration has been affected by a decline in revenue. The PMC continues to seek state government approval to move forward with the development plan and resume construction activities in these newly included villages.