Pune’s flood risk governance faces a critical test, as the Bombay High Court has given a five-member expert panel two months to submit revised flood-line maps for the city’s development plan, following concerns that outdated demarcations no longer reflect current climate and hydrological realities. The directive is part of a larger legal effort to ensure that floodplain boundaries are based on scientific data and integrated into urban planning to protect vulnerable zones and improve equitable land-use policy in Maharashtra’s second-largest city.
The High Court’s latest directive comes in response to a public interest litigation filed in 2021 by urban activists and civic groups, who argued that the flood lines demarcated in Pune’s 2017 development plan failed to account for changes in river behaviour, increased urbanisation, and rising instances of extreme weather events. The petitioners called for the reinstatement of the more conservative flood boundaries mapped in March 2011, citing the growing risks posed by unregulated development along flood-prone riverbanks and low-lying zones. Responding to the concerns, the court formed a five-member expert committee in June last year, led by an additional chief secretary from the state’s Department of Water Resources. The panel includes experts in hydrology, environment, urban planning and infrastructure. According to the court order, the committee must complete its assessment and submit a final report to the Maharashtra government within two months. The state is then expected to act on the recommendations within an additional two-month window.
The court has also clarified that petitioners may submit suggestions to the state government to aid the committee’s work and guide subsequent decision-making. However, it rejected a plea for the blanket revocation of all development permissions granted within 100 metres of current flood lines, citing the absence of specific examples of unauthorised construction in the case. Instead, the onus now lies with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to review any developments sanctioned within these critical buffer zones. The bench directed the civic body to evaluate such permissions in accordance with law and ensure that any proposed actions—such as revocations or modifications—are conducted with procedural fairness, including an opportunity for affected parties to be heard.
At the heart of this legal action lies a significant affidavit submitted by a state agency earlier this year. The Maharashtra Krishna Valley Development Corporation’s January 2024 report acknowledged that prior flood-line delineations had failed to incorporate important hydrological variables, including river morphology, erosion potential, rainfall variability, and flood intensity. The document formed the basis for the court’s decision to appoint a dedicated expert panel for reassessment. Environmental and infrastructure experts have welcomed the High Court’s proactive stance, describing it as a crucial move toward building climate-resilient cities. They point out that Pune’s geography—crisscrossed by rivers like the Mula, Mutha, and Pavana—makes it especially vulnerable during monsoons. With shrinking green cover and concretisation reducing natural absorption capacity, even moderate rainfall can trigger severe urban flooding, particularly in informal settlements and older city precincts.
From a planning perspective, the revised flood-line maps are expected to play a pivotal role in guiding future zoning regulations, infrastructure projects, and housing developments. Urban designers note that clarity in floodplain mapping is essential not only for preventing construction in high-risk areas but also for safeguarding critical social infrastructure such as public health centres, transport nodes, and community shelters. Gender-focused urban researchers have also weighed in on the importance of such planning reforms. They stress that flood resilience is directly tied to protecting vulnerable communities—particularly women, children, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities—who rely heavily on accessible public infrastructure. Ensuring these facilities are kept outside flood-prone areas is essential for equitable, inclusive city development.
The PMC now faces a formidable challenge: to balance the pressures of rapid urbanisation with the imperative to build a more flood-resilient city. This will require not only technical adjustments in land-use policies, but also robust community engagement, transparent development protocols, and potential revaluation of sanctioned projects on ecologically sensitive land. Within this context, experts are calling for the integration of modern tools such as GIS-based mapping, flood modelling software, and real-time climate analytics into planning processes. They argue that such tools, when combined with traditional hydrological assessments and citizen data, can offer a more comprehensive picture of urban flood vulnerability.
Meanwhile, the clock is ticking for the court-appointed committee. With just two months to review historical flood patterns, current land use, and development approvals, the panel will need to coordinate swiftly with state departments and access both ground-level and satellite data. Urban policy observers believe this report could form a blueprint not only for Pune but for other rapidly growing Indian cities grappling with flood threats. Public anticipation is mounting, especially in low-lying localities and flood-hit neighbourhoods, where residents have frequently raised concerns about inadequate drainage, encroachments on natural watercourses, and the absence of early warning systems. These local insights may also inform the committee’s recommendations, provided the state facilitates an open consultation process.
Ultimately, the outcome of this legal and administrative process will be a measure of Pune’s readiness to align its urban planning with the realities of a changing climate. By making flood-line science central to development decisions, the city can move toward a future where resilience, equity and sustainability are not competing goals—but mutually reinforcing pillars of urban progress.
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