Pune’s HCMTR project has drawn opposition from a citizens’ action committee, which has sought detailed information from the Pune Municipal Corporation about the proposed high-capacity public transport corridor and its possible effects on traffic, the environment and heritage sites.
The HCMTR Citizens’ Action Committee raised the issue during a meeting with Pune Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram, according to a report by Loksatta. The committee alleged that the administration had not provided sufficient clarity about the project’s exact form or the transport system proposed under it.
The group has asked the civic administration to place an official, transparent and detailed project plan before citizens. Its demands include information about the project’s planning, design and technical specifications, as well as an explanation of its potential social and environmental impacts.
The committee said citizens needed clarity on how the project would address Pune’s traffic congestion and what its implementation would mean for residents. It also called for a detailed discussion between the municipal administration and citizens so that questions about the proposal could be addressed.
The delegation that met the municipal commissioner included Dr Prajakta Divekar, Pratap Raval, Mahipal Patwardhan, Narendra Thatte, Kaniz Sukhrani, Makarand Shende and Rajiv Sawant, among others. The report did not provide details of the proposed route, project cost, construction schedule, technical design or the municipal administration’s response to the committee’s specific demands.
The opposition comes as the civic administration faces calls to disclose more information before the project advances. The committee’s request is focused on obtaining a formal project plan and holding further discussions with citizens. No decision on the project’s implementation or any revised timeline was reported.
