Pune, 24 March 2026: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) general body on Monday approved a proposal to develop a large convention center near Lohegaon airport, modelled on Delhi’s Bharat Mandapam.
The proposal has now been forwarded to the state government for further approval, even as existing reservations on the land have been retained.
The project is planned on land currently earmarked in the development plan for public amenities such as a garden, sports ground, vegetable market, waterworks and parking.
While such a project typically requires changes to these reservations, the civic administration presented the proposal without cancelling them, following directions from the state government.
Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram had earlier invited suggestions and objections regarding the project. The administration moved ahead with the proposal while formally retaining the existing reservations, a move that drew sharp reactions from opposition members.
Leaders including Nilesh Nikam, Arvind Shinde, Prashant Jagtap and Dattatray Dhankawade clarified that they were not against the idea of a convention centre but strongly opposed its location.
“The project should be shifted by considering the need for existing reservations, such as parking and public amenities. There are also concerns about future traffic congestion in the airport area,” said Nikam.
On the other hand, ruling party leaders Ganesh Bidkar and Shrinath Bhimale defended the proposal, stating that all mandatory reservations, including parking, water facilities and open spaces, would be accommodated within the project layout.
Notably, several PMC departments had earlier raised objections to removing key reservations like sports grounds, gardens and parking spaces from the site.
The project was first proposed in August 2024 following a request by BJP MLA Sunil Kamble. After a review, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis directed PMC to prepare a formal plan. The proposal was cleared by the standing committee and sent to the urban development department in March 2025.
The state government has granted in-principle approval but has asked PMC to follow due process, including public consultation, since the project involves changes to the development plan.