Urban News

  • Increase font size
  • Default font size
  • Decrease font size
Urban Infrastructure

Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation plans to construct three new auditoriums for Rs 19cr

Print PDF

The Times of India                              05.03.2013 

Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation plans to construct three new auditoriums for Rs 19cr

PUNE: The entertainment and cultural activities are expected to get a major boost in Pimpri-Chinchwad with the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) planning to construct three auditoriums, including one on the lines of Pune's Ganesh Kala Krida Manch, here.

Municipal commissioner Shrikar Pradeshi said the civic administration has made a provision of Rs 19 crore in the draft budget of 2013-14 for the construction of these three

auditoriums, including a provision of Rs 1 crore for the construction of an auditorium on the lines of Pune's Ganesh Kala Krida Manch - the place for which is yet to be decided. He said the remaining two auditoriums will come up at Pimple Gurav and Akurdi.

Explaining the rationale behind these auditoriums, Pardeshi said, "The population of the industrial city has been growing very rapidly in the past three decades

due to rapid urbanization. There is a need for opening more auditoriums in various parts of the city for hosting cultural and social programmes. Many organizations have voiced such demand with the civic authorities. A meeting was held with the representatives of cultural organizations, dancers, musicians and others for finalizing a cultural policy, in which they complained that there was no space available in the city for conducting rehearsals of plays or other programmes."

Earlier, there were only two auditoriums in the city constructed by the civic body, namely Prof Ramkrishna More auditorium in Chinchwad and Acharya Atre auditorium in Pimpri. The civic body opened the third auditorium called the Ankush Landge auditorium in Bhosari along the Pune-Nashik highway around a year back.

"So we will be providing such space in the form of an auditorium to be constructed at Akurdi," he said

Pardeshi admitted that there were some complaints from citizens regarding the shoddy operation of the existing auditoriums. "Steps will be taken to redress these complaints," he said.

"There is a demand for opening an auditorium on the lines of Pune's Ganesh Kala Krida Manch in Pimpri-Chinchwad city for holding cultural and social programmes on a bigger scale.

"The civic body has taken a decision to construct an auditorium in the city which will need a plot with an area of around five acres for the project. It should be located in a populated area and not an industrial area

so let the locals benefit from the project. The PCMC will select one final location where the auditorium will be constructed,'' he said.

Speaking to TOI, director of Atharva Theatre Sanjeevkumar Patil welcomed the proposal of the municipal body to construct an auditorium at Akurdi. He said there is a need for opening small auditoriums in various parts of the city for organizing rehearsals of plays, elocution contests and literary programmes.
Last Updated on Tuesday, 05 March 2013 08:25
 

Multi-level parking at CGO?

Print PDF

The Hindu                        28.02.2013

Multi-level parking at CGO?

Smriti Kak Ramachandran

Faced with an acute shortage of parking bays near the CGO complex on Lodhi Road, which has in its perimeter several office complexes, the Union Urban Development Ministry has proposed a multi-level parking with commercial spaces that can be let out.

The proposal, which will be put forth before the Union Cabinet for its approval, envisages letting out space to commercial establishments like restaurants and shops to raise funds for the construction.

“The proposal is still being fleshed out. We are thinking of letting out space to two restaurants with a 100-plus seating capacity and some shops, which will help us raise funds. While Government-owned vehicles will be allowed to park for free, private vehicle will be levied a fee,” said an official, not wishing to be named.

A large plot of land has been earmarked for the project that is expected to cater to the nearby offices and will address the current problem of a large number of vehicles being parked on the roads, leading to traffic congestion.

“Randomly parked vehicles along the roads not only bring traffic to a crawl during peak hours, but are also a security hazard. Once the parking facility comes up, these issues will be addressed,” the official said.

Shortage of parking facilities across the city and the growing complaints about vehicles parked illegally and indiscriminately in residential areas has forced the Ministry to come up with solutions. The Ministry is contemplating introduction of laws to tackle the problem of dearth of parking spaces. Experts in the sector of planning and transport management have urged the Ministry to contemplate Japan’s policy of proof-of-parking, whereby buyers need to show they have ample space for parking their vehicles.

“There needs to be some kind of legislation brought in to check the illegal parking problem. The number of vehicles that are being added to the roads is sharply disproportionate to the land availability for parking. Initiatives like encouraging the use of public transport, increasing the tax on vehicle registration, enhancing parking fees and even the proposal to introduce congestion tax in metros have not been able to check the increasing number of private vehicles. It is imperative to come up with alternatives like multi-level parking,” the official said.

Last Updated on Thursday, 28 February 2013 05:45
 

South Delhi Municipal corporation picks GK-II park for chief's home

Print PDF

The Times of India              16.02.2013 

South Delhi Municipal corporation picks GK-II park for chief's home

NEW DELHI: South Delhi Municipal Corporation's decision to constructing a multi-storeyed residential complex for its officials, including the commissioner, in GK-II has not gone down well the residents of GK-II, CR Park and Alaknanda. Residents are opposing the project as the land where the project is planned is currently given on rent for organizing marriages and religious functions. The area councillor claims that the land is an MCD notified park but officials say it is earmarked for a school building.

"This is the only big park in GK-II, CR Park and Alaknanda. It was named Uday Shankar Park by the erstwhile MCD. How can South Corporation plan a residential complex, especially the commissioner's residence, in this area which doesn't have many open spaces? If the corporation doesn't cancel the project, we'll hold protests,'' Virender Kasana, area councilor, said.

For the past few years, the civic agency has been giving the area, measuring 11,500 sq metres, on rent for functions. The corporation earns close to Rs 25,000 per booking.

The proposal to construct a residential complex was recently placed by the commissioner, Manish Gupta, and approved in the House meeting. Officials say the land in question was earmarked for a school building. But, as the corporation had no plans for a school in this area, the land was transferred to the horticulture department so that the corporation can earn revenue from it. "We are giving out on rent as the corporation has no project planned here. It is not a master plan green. It is an open area which can be developed by the corporation,'' said a senior South Corporation official.

When contacted, Gupta said, "We have planned a project, but are still working on the final plan. We will get the land use checked. But, to the best of my knowledge, it is an open space. But we will still check it. Moreover, it is just a proposal."

The ruling BJP says the Congress is making it an issue for no reason. "On one hand, they accuse us of not doing anything for our employees. Now that we have planned a project, they have objections to it. The project was sanctioned only after proper scrutiny. But we will still get the matter examined whether it is a park or open space,'' Subhash Arya, leader of the House, South Corporation, said.

Meanwhile, residents are also opposing the move. "The corporation should not plan any building project here. A lot of functions are organized here,'' a resident of GK-II said.
Last Updated on Saturday, 16 February 2013 10:32
 


Page 72 of 181