PMC prepares ₹9,000-cr plan to develop newly included villages

Considering its growing population, after Pune’s limits have now been expanded with the proposed merger of 23 areas (villages) into the civic limits, the civic body has prepared a plan of ₹9,000 crore to build basic amenities for the newly included villages.

The money will be mainly spent on amenities like water, road, sewage and solid waste management, to create basic facilities which residents of these 23 areas residents want badly.

According to Prashant Waghmare, PMC’s city engineer, “Corporation had sent a detailed note in 2015 about development of 34 villages to be merged in PMC. Of these 34 areas, 11 were merged in 2017 while a proposal has been put forward to merge the 23 more areas.”

In 2014, the civic body had sent letter to state government that it will require ₹5,740 crore to carry out amenities in 34 villages. (HT has a copy of the letter).

According to Waghmare, the civic body has estimated that there would have been a 10 per cent rise every year in the expenditure, taking the overall amount to ₹9000 crore.

“It is a challenge for PMC to develop upcoming areas which are unplanned. We will have to take a lot of effort in every aspect of development - from planning to execution,” said Waghmare.

According to another civic official, the PMC requires ₹4,598 crore for water supply road and solid waste management and drainage system. The other money will be spent for developing amenities like garden, playground, schools and administration.

V G Kulkarni, superintendent of the road department, said, “Without a development plan, we cannot build a good quality road network. Right now, we can repair and maintain existing roads in inclusive areas.”

Suresh Jagtap, additional municipal commissioner, said, “We have not estimated the water quota yet, but the existing quota is not enough for the new areas. We have to make provision for these inclusions.”

Sanjay Gawade, acting head of solid waste management, said, “We will have to develop a proper garbage collection system and acquire land to set up new processing plants. At present, there is no proper system in these villages. Generation of garbage has been increased due to urbanisation in these areas. The local body has no system for solid waste management. We will have to set it up.”

Besides these basic facilities, the PMC will have to build social infrastructure like education, health, parks, and community halls.