Draft DP: Active Puneites file 87,000 suggestions and objections

The draft development plan (DP) for old Pune city attracted a total of 87,000 suggestions and objections from Puneites, making it perhaps the largest number of entries for a city in the state so far.
Political parties, NGOs and individuals took active part in the exercise with over 20,000 entries filed against the supplementary of canceling reservations on the public amenity places in the city.

The original deadline of April 27 for filing suggestions and objections regarding DP was extended till June 26 after political parties and NGOs approached the state government. City engineer Prashant Waghmare said, “We had received 20,000 suggestions and objections till June 20. However, between June 21 and June 26, over 67,000 entries were filed, including 2,200 through emails.”

According to Waghmare, the highest number of 20,000 suggestions and objections have been filed against the supplementary of cancellation of reservations of public amenity spaces in the city. Around 6,000 suggestions have been filed on declaring hilltop and hill slope as biodiversity park (BDP) zone, implementing town planning scheme on agricultural zone and opposing four FSI on the Metro corridor. Nearly 4,000 suggestions and objections have been filed to oppose reservation for economically weaker section (EWS) in Karvenagar.

Political show

The last day for filing suggestions and objections proved to be quite eventful as political parties, including BJP, MNS and Shiv Sena carried out rallies at PMC to oppose the DP. Sena workers had brought donkeys for their rally. MNS party workers were dressed in warkari attire and they carried out palkhi procession, while BJP also carried out a rally from Shaniwarwada till PMC main building on Wednesday. These parties submitted suggestions and objections in bulk on the last day of submission.

What next

After the submission of suggestions and objections on Pune DP, a hearing committee comprising four members nominated by the state government and three members from PMC will call persons who have filed their suggestions and objections for a personal hearing. Prashant Waghmare said, “The committee will have to complete the hearing process within two months before submit the report to the PMC general body (GB). The GB will have to take a decision on the report in two months before the report is forwarded to the state government for final approval.