The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has temporarily halted work on a 400-meter stretch of the River Front Development (RFD) project in the Pimple Nilakh area. This decision affects the project that spans from the Wakad bypass to the Sangvi bridge. Sanjay Kulkarni, the Chief Engineer of PCMC and head of the civic environmental department, stated that the pause is necessary for redesigning efforts, which are expected to take about a week. “We have instructed the construction firm, B G Shirke Constructions Technology Pvt Ltd, to cease operations in this area for now. The redesign is being implemented to align the project with the site conditions,” Kulkarni explained.
The redesign comes in response to requests from the irrigation department, following widespread protests from citizens and environmental activists. Work on the remaining nine kilometers of the project will proceed as planned. The RFD aims to enhance a 44-kilometer stretch of the Mula and Mutha rivers, but it has faced criticism from various citizen groups. Concerns center around biodiversity threats and problems related to increased concretization, including a heightened risk of urban flooding. Activists’ frustrations culminated in a civil society march titled “Nadi Sathi Nadi Kathi” to the Dada Ghat Shamshan Bhumi in April, the same site currently affected by the suspension.
Citizen groups have voiced suspicions that commercial interests underlie the RFD initiative and have advocated for a greater emphasis on river cleanliness and sustainable development practices. Meetings with political figures, including Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, have taken place as activists push for action. Notably, on May 1, politician Maneka Gandhi requested that PCMC’s leadership send a team, including Honorary Wildlife Warden Aditya Paranjape, to investigate the situation firsthand. Gandhi expressed her approval of the recent stay, emphasizing the critical importance of rivers and their ecology.
The temporary halt has galvanized citizen groups, with Dhananjay Shedbale, who participated in hunger strikes against the RFD, stating, “The decision to stop work reflects the two-month-long protest movement. Our demand is simple: ‘clean water, clean river,’ not more concretization.” Shedbale added that this signifies only the beginning of their campaign, expressing hope that authorities will recognize the RFD’s detrimental impact on river health. “True rejuvenation focuses on purifying water from its source to where it merges with other bodies. This must be the priority for the ecosystem to thrive.”
Protests in Pune are expected to intensify in the coming months, extending beyond just the PCMC area. Shailaja Deshpande, a prominent and respected member of environmental advocacy groups, noted that the current pause only applies to Pimple Nilakh due to prior violations of an old National Green Tribunal (NGT) order. “We will continue to fight until all encroachments on riverbeds and banks are removed,” she stated. Deshpande highlighted that while the suspension is a positive step, it remains insufficient and temporary. Citizen advocacy has involved persistent follow-ups with authorities, awareness campaigns, and extensive discussions with various political leaders. Their demands include the removal of waste from the riverbed between Wakad and Sangvi, calling for PMC and PCMC to heed citizen concerns and revise their existing project designs.
The scope of citizen discontent extends to all local rivers, including the Mula, Mutha, Mula-Mutha, Pawana, and Indrayani. Deshpande concluded, “While we support river revitalization efforts, the current execution methods are misguided and must be changed.”
Original Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/this-is-just-a-beginning-as-pcmc-stays-rfd-work-in-pimple-nilakh-green-groups-galvanised-to-continue-protests-10011267/
Category: Cities,Pune
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Publish Date: 2025-05-16 23:11:00
