PUNE: PMC will commence work on town planning schemes on over 600 hectares in Uruli-Phursungi on Saturday.
Chief minister Eknath Shinde and deputy chief ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar will be present at the programme.
According to Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) officials, the event is significant as the civic body will launch three TP schemes after four decades.
Urban planners welcomed the move, saying that the schemes will help speed up development without hardly any need to spend on land acquisition.
“The administration will start construction of roads and set up other facilities.
The groundwork can be started after completing formalities like consultation with landowners and arbitration,” said Vikram Kumar, PMC administrator.
Civic officials said that PMC is promoting the scheme in various areas as it has multiple benefits. Creation of infrastructure like drainage system, sewage system, roads, water supply lines, gardens, schools, and public hospitals will be possible in these areas. The benefits will be given to private TPs.
As per the PMC data, a total of around 608.95 hectares of land will be developed as part of these schemes. These include two schemes in Phursungi of 260.67 hectares and 238.50 hectares, and one at Uruli-Devachi of 109.78 hectares. The programme will be held at Sangamwadi at 4.30 pm.
“TP schemes prove to be successful as they face minimum opposition from citizens. Dissent is less as landowners do not lose the entire land. These projects can be implemented quickly. More and more such projects should be carried out in cities like Pune,” said Ramchandra Gohad, a senior urban planner.
Pune has played a pioneering role in developing TPs. During the British era, initiatives to implement TP schemes began as early as 1915. The city has eight major TP schemes, which were developed between 1939 and 1989. These schemes have come up in areas like Deccan, Gultekdi, Parvati, Sangamwadi, Mangalwar Peth and Hadapsar Industrial Estate.