PUNE: A group of citizens and members of the Pimpri Chinchwad Cooperative Housing Societies Federation (PCCHSF) have opposed the municipal corporation’s proposal to convert 1.55 hectare land in the Tathawade area from a public semi-public zone to residential.
Federation members claimed the decision would set a trend for similar conversions and residents would lose space meant for public amenities.
On Sept 23, municipal commissioner and administrator Shekhar Singh approved a proposal to convert the said amenity land into residential during a general body meeting of the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC).
A senior PCMC official said the reserved land hosted a private school linked to a renowned state politician and around 40% is an open playground.
“We may have approved the modification procedure, but citizens have time till Oct 23 to raise objections, which is already being filed. As per procedure, objections will be heard before we send the proposal for a final decision to the state govt,” the PCMC official said, adding that a condition has been stipulated that no residential development permission would be granted without keeping 40% area reserved for a playground.
PCCHSF secretary Sudhir Deshmukh has written a letter to PCMC commissioner and urban development department of Maharashtra on behalf of the federation and raised objections on the matter.
Deshmukh said, “The population of Pimpri Chinchwad is growing fast. Many new residential projects are coming up in Tathawade. If the modification happens, it will establish a trend. PCMC will convert land use everywhere and citizens may verily forget about public amenities.”
He further said the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority was making similar decisions and had either denotified or given out many land parcels reserved for public amenities to private players. “The development plan was made six years ago and officials must have given it thought. However, since there are no elected representatives in the municipal body to raise concerns of citizens, the administration is taking decisions on its own,” he added.
Tathawade resident Manoj Chaudhari said, “There is already a private education institute running from the plot. We hope a similar facility continues so that residents can admit their children there and do not need to travel far for education. Allowing a large number of constructions without public amenities is a bad civic move.”
