No More Excuses: Bombay HC Tells PMC to Acquire Land, Build Vadgaonsheri DP Road
Vadgaonsheri, 18th April 2025: The Bombay High Court has directed the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and the Maharashtra State Government to acquire land and construct a long-pending access road in Vadgaonsheri, finally providing relief to over 2,000 residents, including 550 families from Kumar Primavera Housing Society.
A division bench headed by Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice M.S. Karnik passed the order on April 17, 2025, after hearing arguments from both sides. The court ordered land acquisition between Survey No. 52 and 53 to be completed within two months and the construction of the 30-meter Development Plan (DP) road to be finished within four months thereafter.
Advocate Satya Muley, representing the petitioner society, argued that basic civic infrastructure such as approach roads forms a part of the fundamental right to life. “In any organized society, the right to live as a human being includes access to public amenities like roads,” Muley said. He emphasized that the PMC had failed to act for over 15 years, despite having the authority to acquire land and a clear plan sanctioned as far back as 2012.
The road, partially constructed in 2014, was left incomplete, leaving Kumar Primavera and the surrounding community without public road connectivity. Residents have since relied on a narrow, muddy, and unsafe private path. The issue worsened during the COVID-19 lockdown when even the temporary passage was closed, cutting off access for emergency services and school transport.
The Court rejected PMC’s claim that land acquisition had been delayed due to uncooperative landowners, calling the excuse unacceptable in the face of a growing public safety and infrastructure crisis.
Petitioner Pramod Vaidya, Chairman of Kumar Primavera Society, welcomed the court’s ruling: “This verdict is a significant step forward. We thank Advocate Muley for his relentless efforts. We hope this long-overdue development will soon become a reality, improving safety and connectivity for all.”
Echoing the sentiment, society secretary Vaibhav Nanoti added, “It has been a battle for basic necessities. With the High Court’s intervention, we now see a ray of hope for rightful access that was denied to us for decades.”
Resident Jayesh Sarvaiya said the court’s order is a victory not just for their society, but for thousands of residents across Pune who are deprived of basic infrastructure. “This is justice for the years of neglect. Advocate Muley’s work has been commendable,” he said.
Speaking after the verdict, Advocate Muley stated: “PMC cannot hide behind excuses. Where there is a will, there is a way—and if needed, the law will take its own course. Residents cannot be denied their rights because of bureaucratic inertia.”
The case has spotlighted the broader issue of infrastructure lapses across Pune, with multiple societies and neighborhoods facing similar struggles due to incomplete DP roads and administrative delays.
The High Court’s directive now places the onus squarely on PMC and the State Government to act swiftly and fulfill their obligations—ending a 20-year-long wait for road connectivity in Vadgaonsheri.
