The Times of India 25.11.2010
PMC GB approves Shivsrushti project on 28 acres
PUNE: The general body (GB) of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Wednesday approved the Shivsrushti project and decided to seek the state government's permission to acquire 75 acres of the proposed bio-diversity park (BDP) land in Kothrud for the project. The GB also approved the proposal to change a land reservation in Kothrud (which had marked 28 acres of land at survey numbers 92 and 93 for a garbage depot) into a civic cultural centre.
As per the GB resolution, the PMC can start work on the Shivsrushti project on 28 acres and extend it to 103 acres with acquiring 75-acre BDP land after the state government's permission.
The PMC had earlier planned the Shivsrushti project on the 28-acre plot, where a garbage depot was opened in 1965 and closed in 1999. When the garbage depot was closed, the PMC had promised to set up a public-utility project there. However, the land had been lying vacant ever since.
According to the PMC's plan for Shivsrushti, a permanent exhibition, depicting the life of Chhatrapati Shivaji, will be set up. Project director Nitin Desai wants to replicate some of the forts and more land will be required for the same.
The move to acquire the BDP land for the project is likely to stir a controversy as the draft development plan for the 23 merged villages reserves 1,600 hectares for BDPs on hill tops and slopes. However, the civic body and the ruling parties have no clear plan on how to raise the compensation amount for landowners. For several years environmentalists, worried about Pune's declining forest cover and greenery, wanted the BDP reservations protected. With over 90,000 people supporting the idea, the environmentalists had also said it was not difficult for the PMC to raise the funds.
The decision to go ahead with the Shivsrushti project will affect the proposed metro project. The Delhi Metro Railway Corporation (DMRC) had planned a major terminus for the metro on the Kothrud land. In July, DMRC general manager (consultancy) S Sharma had written to the Pune municipal commissioner saying that the two projects cannot co-exist.
Speaking in the GB meeting, BJP corporator Anil Shirole said, "It is high time we all in the PMC give a serious thought to the issues we are taking up in Pune. I am not opposing the Shivsrushti project, but when are we going to discuss and decide about the slums, traffic and other issues?"
Other corporators, however, welcomed the move and said that the project will inspire generations. Congress leader Aba Bagul said that Shivsrushti had been pending for 19 years. BJP leader Mukta Tilak said that citizen's emotions are involved in the project.
Despite repeated demands by corporators to explain the stand on the metro project, NCP leaders and mayor Mohansingh Rajpal preferred to say that both Shivsrushti and metro projects will be executed. However, the mayor did not answer the question how both projects will be possible on the same place.
