Citizens opposing Pune’s proposed High Capacity Mass Transit Route (HCMTMR) have asked the Pune Municipal Corporation to disclose the project’s detailed plan, citing concerns about its design, traffic effects, environmental impact and possible implications for heritage sites.
The HCMTMR Citizens Action Committee raised the objections during a meeting with Pune Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram, according to a report published by Loksatta on September 11. The committee said residents had not been given sufficient information about the project, including the form of public transport proposed and how it would affect the city.
The project has been proposed as a measure to address Pune’s traffic congestion. However, the committee said the administration had not clearly explained the exact nature of the route, the transport system to be established or the likely consequences for Pune’s residents. It has demanded a detailed discussion between the civic administration and citizens so that questions about the project can be addressed.
The committee also asked the municipal administration to place an official, transparent and comprehensive project plan before the public. Its demands include disclosure of the project’s planning process, design and technical details, along with an explanation of its potential social and environmental effects.
The objections centre on the absence of publicly available clarity rather than on a formally stated final assessment of the project’s impacts. The report does not specify the proposed route, construction method, capacity, cost, implementation schedule or the locations of any affected roads, structures or heritage sites. It also does not indicate whether a final detailed project report or environmental assessment has been released.
The committee’s representatives said the administration should first explain what infrastructure is being planned and how it would operate. Their request places the PMC’s public communication and consultation process at the centre of the immediate dispute. The committee has sought answers from the municipal commissioner on the project’s technical and planning aspects before further progress is made.
The meeting with Commissioner Ram was attended by Dr Prajakta Divekar, Pratap Rawal, Mahipal Patwardhan, Narendra Thatte, Kaniz Sukhrani, Makarand Shende, Rajiv Sawant and other members of the citizens’ group. The report does not include a response from the municipal administration to the committee’s demands.
The next step sought by the committee is a detailed public discussion led by the Pune Municipal Corporation, followed by the disclosure of the HCMTMR project’s official plan and technical information.
