PUNE: Mahametro has demanded land from six gardens in the city. For metro project, Mahametro requires 2.324.33 square metre of land from six gardens of the Pune Municipal Corporation. Maximum land belongs to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Raje Garden on Jungali Maharaj road, which is one of the prominent gardens of Pune city. However, Pune Garden Department has expressed unwillingness to provide land to Mahametro.
Mahametro has already started construction of pillars on two metro corridors - Vanaz to Ramwadi and PCMC to Swargate. For Metro project, Mahametro has written a letter to Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to hand over land for the work. Mahametro has demanded totally 16,425.05 square metre land at 27 different places. It consists of land from six gardens, including Sambhaji Garden.
The maximum area belongs to Sambhaji Garden, which is around 1,400 square metre. Sambhaji Garden, built by Pune corporation, flaunts the Aquarium of freshwater ornamental fishes, which was set up on August 1, 1953. It is spread over 6 acres of land. Mahametro has proposed Sambhaji Metro railway station near Sambhaji Garden and they want land to make a foot-over-bridge and staircase of
station.
Other than Sambhaji Garden, Mahametro wants Nana-Nani Park (Shaniwar Peth), Victoria Garden (Kalyani Nagar), Bund Garden, Nilu Phule Garden (Mayur colony-Kothrud) and Ramabai Ambedkar Garden (near Ruby Hall hospital).
While speaking to Sakal Times, Ashok Ghorpade, Chief Superintendent of Garden Department of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), said, “It is true that Mahametro wants land of the gardens for metro work. We are against providing the garden land to Mahametro. On Wednesday, during the meeting with Additional Municipal Commissioner Bipin Sharma, we discussed the issue of handing over garden land to Mahametro. In the meeting, it was decided to get a detailed plan and map of the Metro work in garden areas. Right now, we don’t have an exact idea about the metro work.”
Pralhad Kachare, Joint Manager of Land Department of Mahametro, said, “Corporation has demanded a detailed plan of metro work before handing over land to Mahametro. It is a corporation project and the corproation should give land for it. However, corporation has a concern over the garden land. Hence, they want a detailed map of metro work.”
Dr Sachin Punekar, environmentalist and former tree authority member of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) said, “We have already eaten a lot of green space in the city. Now, in the name of development, Government is acquiring existing garden land. This land should be exempted from the project. They should explore other options of private land and other government land. Pune city is one of the most livable cities and green spaces should be protected. It will hamper environment and help to increase pollution in the city in the name of development.”