PMC reaffirms Balbharati Road Project, assures no environmental damage

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) reiterated its commitment to the Balbharati-Paud Phata Road project, emphasizing its necessity in alleviating traffic congestion on Law College Road and surrounding areas. Despite objections raised by citizens and scrutiny from a Supreme Court-appointed committee, PMC officials maintained that the road, cutting through hills, would not harm the environment or crucial aquifers in the area. They clarified that the road would be partly elevated to minimize ecological disruption.

Aniruddha Pawaskar, head of the PMC road department, stated that the project’s assessments and viewpoints were presented to the central empowered committee (CEC) during their site visit. The committee will determine the next steps based on these inputs and directives from relevant authorities. PMC officials emphasized that controlled access to Law College Road would reduce traffic congestion on adjacent lanes. They also assured the installation of sound barriers to mitigate noise pollution from increased traffic.

Environmentalists and activists have voiced concerns about the project’s potential adverse effects on Vetal tekdi’s green cover and biodiversity. However, PMC officials argued that the road’s construction is necessary to address traffic issues, pointing out that a significant portion of vehicles from Balbharati currently head towards Paud Phata. They pledged to make all relevant documents public and provide written responses to residents’ queries within a few days.

The CEC conducted inspections on separate days to listen to both parties’ perspectives. Residents, while acknowledging traffic congestion as a problem, did not explicitly oppose the road project during the inspection. However, some expressed apprehensions about potential environmental degradation and the lack of public transportation improvements in the area over the past two decades. Concerns were also raised about the need for continued construction activity around the road after its completion.