Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) has decided to cancel its Draft Development Plan following mounting complaints and internal conflicts within the state government. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also chairs PMRDA, has directed the cancellation, and an official affidavit will be submitted to the Supreme Court. This decision means PMRDA will need to redraft the entire development plan from the beginning.
After assuming office, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis held a review meeting in January to assess PMRDA’s projects, during which concerns about the development plan were raised. Citizens had lodged numerous complaints, and multiple court cases were filed against it, leading to CM Fadnavis ordering its cancellation. The meeting’s final minutes were recorded on March 28, after which preparations to submit an affidavit to the Supreme Court began. The affidavit will be filed in the upcoming court hearing, after which the state will proceed based on the court’s decision.
Allegations and Controversies
The draft development plan faced allegations of irregularities in land reservations and financial misconduct. Additionally, conflicts between the Chief Minister and the Urban Development Minister reportedly played a role in the decision. The cancellation means PMRDA must now restart the entire process, delaying planned urban expansion and infrastructure projects.
Timeline of Key Developments
2017: PMRDA announced plans to create a development framework to manage urban expansion in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad.
August 2, 2021: The draft plan was published for public review.
67,000 objections and suggestions were received from citizens.
COVID-19 pandemic delays led to an extension of the project timeline.
December 2021: The state government formed an expert committee to address objections.
March 2, 2022: The expert committee began public hearings.
May 2024: PMRDA submitted a revised version of the plan to the state government for approval.Legal petitions against the plan date back to 2019, with eight cases currently before the Supreme Court.
Final hearings are underway in the Supreme Court.
Scope of the Cancelled Development Plan
Covered 814 villages in Pune district, spanning 60% of the region.
Proposed a model for the development of 233 villages through 18 Urban Growth Centers.
Planned 1,638 sq. km of development.
Additional rural growth planning through eight additional growth centers.
Each growth center included 5 to 24 villages.
Integrated a Comprehensive Transportation Plan developed by L&T for PMRDA.
PMRDA Commissioner Dr. Yogesh Mhase confirmed that the decision to cancel the plan was officially recorded in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The state government will submit an affidavit in the Supreme Court, and further action will be taken based on the court’s decision. Following legal formalities, PMRDA will need to initiate the process of drafting a fresh development plan.