Pune NGT Upholds 100ft Road Construction Along RFD
Pune’s plans to build a 100‑foot wide road linking Bund Garden to Mundhwa, adjacent to the Mula‑Mutha Riverfront Development (RFD) project cleared a key legal hurdle this week when the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in Pune dismissed a plea seeking its demolition. The bench ruled that earlier environmental directives no longer apply to the current project design, allowing civic authorities to proceed with construction amid ongoing debates about urban mobility, environmental safeguards, and river ecology.
The petition was filed by local activists who argued that the road violated a 2018 NGT order by encroaching on the Mula‑Mutha river’s blue line — a protected zone intended to safeguard floodplains and natural waterways. The original NGT order had instructed that any future road work in this area should strictly follow recommendations by an expert committee, including 3D mapping of river dynamics and environmental impact studies.However, the tribunal found that circumstances had changed since 2018, principally because Pune’s RFD project — aimed at river rejuvenation and public space enhancement — and the associated road design had been cleared by competent authorities with updated environmental approvals. The court noted that the current road, unlike earlier proposals, would be constructed at grade level rather than elevated on pillars, altering its interaction with the floodplain and reducing the likelihood of impeding natural water flow.
For Pune’s urban planners and commuters, the decision carries practical implications. Traffic congestion on arterial stretches between Bund Garden and Mundhwa has long plagued daily travel, limiting economic productivity and straining secondary roads. The new road — conceived as part of broader riverfront and transport infrastructure improvements — is intended to redistribute traffic flows more efficiently while linking residential and commercial zones without funneling vehicles through narrow inner‑city streets. Expert transport planners see potential benefits in reduced commuting times and smoother connectivity toward the eastern periphery of the city.That said, environmental advocates and community activists remain cautious. Past debates over the RFD project have included concerns about tree felling in riparian zones, habitat disruption and the overarching aim of riverfront works to integrate ecological restoration with urban development. Civic forestry authorities in Pune have previously urged restraint on removing trees along riverbanks and emphasised the importance of biodiversity conservation in these ecologically sensitive areas.
The NGT’s ruling suggests that contemporary environmental clearances and project design modifications can, in some cases, supersede earlier orders — but it also signals the need for ongoing environmental monitoring and public transparency as large‑scale urban projects proceed. Structuring future road alignments, green buffers and landscape design around floodplain dynamics will be key to balancing infrastructure gains with ecological resilience. Analysts argue that such integrated planning is crucial for cities like Pune, where rapid urbanisation and river health intersect against a backdrop of rising climate vulnerabilities.
Looking ahead, the road’s completion — subject to engineering and climatic contingencies — could yield tangible mobility improvements and support the evolving vision of Pune’s riverfront as a multifunctional public urban space. Yet, the broader lesson for policymakers lies in harmonising transport infrastructure with ecological priorities, ensuring that development does not compromise sustainability goals amid India’s expanding metropolitan landscapes.
