Urban News

“The city is growing very fast and the available infrastructure is falling short of the needs of the increasing population. The respective departments are making efforts to resolve the civic issues, but there is a need for long-term planning,” said PMC deputy municipal commissioner Virendra Jadhavrao.

He said a separate department had been set up for long-term planning. “We have started working on long-term planning and will soon undertake a study of development activities of other municipal bodies. The best practices will be studied and altered according to our needs.”

The PMC has seen exponential growth of population and real estate in the city over the years and it has been struggling with problems of solid waste disposal, sewage treatment, traffic and public transport system besides shortage of drinking water.

Former director of state town planning department Ramchandra Gohad said it was a welcome step by the civic administration to take lessons from other civic bodies.

“Pune is facing too many development problems and all efforts to provide a permanent solution are coming to naught. The situation might spiral out of hands if there is no long-term planning.”

A PMC delegation had recently visited Gorai in Mumbai, where the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had converted a garbage dumping ground into a garden. “The team was impressed by the BMC’s work and the PMC will take similar efforts to change the face of Uruli Devachi and Phursungi villages,” said PMC Mayor Mohansingh Rajpal.

e said the civic body would organise such visits to other civic bodies in the country that have the best practices to resolve similar problems.

Rajpal said the planning for the city would now be done keeping in mind the infrastructure needed to meet the demands of the next 25 years