Pune: The Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) High Capacity Mass Transit Route (HCMTR) is facing maximum opposition from residents of Karve Road.
Out of a total of 450 objections, more than 200 objections were raised from Karve Road and Erandwane area.
The HCMTR will be a six-lane elevated road. It aims at connecting all major parts of the city. The purpose of the project is to decongest the roads.
Around Rs 1,500 crore is needed to acquire land for the project while the total cost is around
Rs 6,500-crore.
HCMTR will pass through Khadki, Aundh, Shivajinagar, Erandwane, Kothrud, Karve Nagar, Dattawadi, Parvati, Bibvewadi, Wanawadi, Salisbury Park, Hadapsar, Mundhwa, Kalyani Nagar, Yerawada and Kalas areas.
While speaking to Sakal Times, PMC Building Permission and Development Department’s Executive Engineer Harshada Shinde said, “Yes, it is correct that residents from Karve Road and Erandwane area have raised maximum objections on the HCMTR project.”
“There were 450 residents of different parts of the city from where HCMTR is passing who have raised objections so far. The PMC sent individual letters to residents who had raised objections and called them for a hearing in the PMC building. However, there were very few residents present during the hearing. The residents had signed one application and not individually sent it to the civic body. We are still receiving complaints from the residents,” she said.
The PMC had also sent letters to the owners who are going to be affected by HCMTR project, as the civic body had suggested 12 changes in the original plan of HCMTR.
After the hearing, the Building Permission and Development Department will include the citizens’ objections and suggestions in the plan and send it to PMC’s City Improvement Committee (CIC). Then, it will be discussed in the General Body meeting and approved and will then be sent to the State government for its final approval.
Activist protest
Last week, HCMTR-Nagrik Kruti Samiti, a platform for citizens, agitated at Pune University Chowk to raise awareness on HCMTR project. Protesters claimed that thousands of families will lose their homes and livelihoods as alignment cuts through densely built-up area and heavy vehicles will enter the heart of the city instead of bypassing, causing a massive increase in pollution.
They also raised an objection saying that HCMTR will cut through hills and destroy forests. They added that more than 3,000 trees will be axed and it will damage nalas, streams and hills permanently.