Pune: Maharashtra Government Scraps PMRDA Development Plan; Orders Fresh Planning Process
Pune, 2nd April 2025: The Maharashtra government has scrapped the draft Development Plan (DP) for the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA), putting an end to the long-stalled planning process that had been in limbo for eight years. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has instructed PMRDA to restart the entire planning process from scratch.
PMRDA was established in 2015 with the objective of improving the standard of living in Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, and surrounding areas. In 2017, an intent to prepare a comprehensive Development Plan for the region was announced, followed by the release of a draft plan in 2021. However, the plan faced significant opposition, with nearly 67,000 citizens submitting objections and suggestions. Legal challenges were also raised regarding the planning process, leading to delays.
The prolonged deadlock prompted the State Government to take a decisive step by canceling the existing draft DP for the sprawling 6,000-square-kilometer PMRDA region. With the court proceedings failing to resolve the matter, the State Government deemed it necessary to start the process afresh.
Although the fundamental concept of the plan will remain unchanged, authorities will have to make key adjustments, including the incorporation of 18-meter-wide roads and a redefinition of zoning and reservations. The State Government and the Urban Development Department will now outline the necessary modifications before formulating the new DP.
The decision to scrap the plan comes as a setback for the administration, as the planning process has been delayed due to procedural lapses and inefficiencies. With the existing blueprint being abandoned, the government will have to begin the planning process from the ground up, further extending the timeline for infrastructure and urban development in the region.
