Pune’s Mula-Mutha riverfront development project: no more red, blue flood lines

PUNE The Mula-Mutha riverfront development project, ready to now be undertaken by the Pune municipal corporation (PMC), will see bring the concept of “red” and “blue” lines (flood lines) to an end. The river channel itsel will now be the flood line.

Speaking anonymously, PMC officials, on Wednesday, confirmed that Pune’s river will developed along the lines of the Sabaramati riverfront in Ahmedabad – where there are no red and blue flood lines.

The PMC’s standing committee, on Tuesday, cleared the riverfront project, with the Sangam bridge to Yerwada section of the river to be developed in the first phase.

While all parties have approved the project, the Nationalist Congress Party’s (NCP) MP Vandana Chavan raised concerns about the rivers.

Chavan said, “A river cannot be considered in phases and it is one unit. The Irrigation department as well as the Central Water and Power Research Institute (CWPRS), also raised concerns about this project. Though the municipal administration claims that the CWPRS had given the nod, it’s not 100 per cent true.”

Chavan added, “Irrigation department clearly said that the crosssection of the river shoukd not be altered. In spite of this, the municipal corporation decided to go ahead, without addressing these concerns. Citizens must think about it and before executing this mega project.”

With the municipal elections due early next year, many elected members have raised eyebrows about the project getting cleared.

The state government had asked for a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to be formed to execute this project.

Pune’s Mayor Murlidhar Mohol who is the president of the SPV said, “After lot of follow ups, this project is moving ahead. It is a mega project and we will ensure that rest of the phases start very soon.”

Standing committee chairman Hemant Rasane said, “The same consultant that prepared the DPR for Ahmedabad will do so for PMC.”

Total cost of the project is Rs2,619 crore.