Pune: The decision of National Green Tribunal (NGT) to dismiss the petition filed against the Mula-Mutha Riverfront Development Project, has now allowed the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to proceed with the long-pending beautification of the riverbanks between Aundh and Baner without any further hurdles.

The project, expected to cost ₹610 crore, will now move ahead at full speed, bringing a new phase of urban rejuvenation to the city.

The PMC has been working on an 11-phase plan to improve and beautify a 44-kilometer stretch of the Mula-Mutha River. Of this, two sections—Sangamwadi to Bund Garden and Bund Garden to Mundhwa—are already under construction,

with 85% of the work between Sangamwadi and Bund Garden completed and 27% progress made in the Bund Garden to Mundhwa section.

In 2022, the PMC made the decision to beautify the riverbank between Aundh and Baner, a 4-kilometer stretch. Given that one side of the Mula River falls within Pune city and the other side within Pimpri-Chinchwad, both municipal corporations agreed to share the project cost equally.

Following discussions with Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), both civic bodies initiated the tendering process for their respective areas.

The overall cost of beautifying the 8-kilometer riverfront stretch is estimated at ₹610 crore, with both PMC and PCMC contributing 50% each. The PMC has already received bids from two companies, and the evaluation of technical documents is currently in progress.

Meanwhile, PCMC has completed its tender process and issued work orders to the contractors.

The riverfront beautification project involves developing jogging parks, cycling tracks, and pedestrian pathways along both sides of the river, creating a vibrant and accessible urban space.

Boating facilities will also be available, and special attention will be given to preserving the river’s biodiversity through the plantation of local species of grass and trees. Seating arrangements will be made at various points along the river for the public to enjoy.

Yuvraj Deshmukh, Superintendent Engineer for the Project Department, commented on the progress: “With the NGT dismissing the petition, the path is clear for completing the tender process for the Aundh to Baner-Balewadi section. Pimpri-Chinchwad’s process is already complete, and both sections will soon be fully developed.”