Pune Municipal Corporation has cleared accumulated waste and planted 50 trees in the green belt between Navle Bridge and Bhumkar Chowk along the Mumbai–Pune–Bengaluru National Highway, but fresh dumping by some vendors and residents is threatening to undermine the clean-up effort.
The civic administration undertook the clean-up after repeated reports by Lokmat about garbage accumulation in the stretch. The tree plantation has been completed in the first phase, while the administration plans further planting and intends to develop the area as a “no-garbage zone”, according to Pradnya Potdar, assistant commissioner of the Pune Municipal Corporation.
The newly cleaned area is reportedly again seeing waste being discarded by some tea and snack stall operators, fruit sellers and other citizens. The waste problem could affect both the cleanliness of the green belt and the survival of the newly planted trees if the area is not monitored regularly.
Potdar said the civic administration was working to keep the area clean and asked citizens to cooperate. The report also highlights the responsibility of residents and businesses operating around the highway to avoid dumping waste after the municipal clean-up.
The National Highways Authority of India has also outlined enforcement measures for the location. Subhash Ghante, an executive engineer with the NHAI, said patrolling in the area had been increased following the Lokmat report. Safety fencing and information boards are planned, while available CCTV footage is being examined to identify people dumping waste.
The proposed fencing and signage are intended to help protect the planted strip and make the restrictions clearer to people using or operating near the road. However, the report indicates that enforcement will remain important because waste has begun to reappear even after the municipal authorities removed the accumulated garbage.
The stretch between Navle Bridge and Bhumkar Chowk is located beside one of Pune’s major highway corridors, where roadside commercial activity and heavy traffic bring regular pressure on public space. The immediate issue is not only the removal of existing waste but also preventing the green belt from becoming a recurring dumping point.
The civic administration’s next steps include additional tree plantation and efforts to establish the site as a no-garbage zone. The NHAI is expected to proceed with increased patrolling, the installation of fencing and information boards, and the review of CCTV footage for possible action against violators.
