Pune, 23 December 2025: A decision to develop a ‘Bharat Mandapam’-style project at Lohgaon by modifying the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) Development Plan (DP) has triggered concerns among citizens. A local citizens’ group has demanded that complete details of the project be made public and the deadline for submitting objections be extended.
According to the proposal, around 30 acres of land in Lohgaon, currently reserved for public amenities such as a hospital, parking facilities, gardens, and roads, is set to be repurposed for the new project. Members of Sajag Nagrik Manch fear that removing these reservations will deprive local residents of essential civic facilities and may worsen traffic congestion in the future.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, Sajag Nagrik Manch president Vivek Velankar and environmental expert Sarang Yadavkar said citizens have been given only two days to submit objections, without access to crucial information about the project. They described this process as unfair and non-transparent.
The activists stated that while the PMC has issued a public notice regarding changes in reservations, it has not shared key details such as the project’s scope, funding pattern, implementing agency, or government approvals.
They have submitted a formal memorandum to Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram, urging the civic body to upload all relevant documents on its official website.
The group has demanded that the objection and suggestion period be extended by at least one month and that the proposal should move forward only after complete disclosure, ensuring informed public participation in the decision-making process.
