80% of Pune Riverfront Development Project’s First Phase Completed; Second Phase at 32% Progress

Pune, 24th March 2025: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has completed 80% of the first phase of the Riverfront Development Project, which spans from Sangamwadi to Bundgarden Bridge. PMC aims to finish most of this phase by June. Meanwhile, 32% of the second phase, extending from Bundgarden Bridge to Mundhwa, has already been completed. The civic body is focused on accelerating work on both phases.

Since its announcement, the project has faced criticism from various organizations and citizens. Despite multiple challenges, the first phase is progressing steadily, with 85% of work on the 3.5-kilometer stretch already completed. Embankment and riverbank construction on both sides are finished, and landscaping will begin soon, followed by tree plantation.

A 3.5-kilometer promenade has also been built along both riverbanks for public use, with 2 kilometers expected to be ready by June. Executive Engineer Bipin Shinde stated that students, citizens, and officials from various organizations have started visiting the site to monitor progress.

Second Phase – 5-Kilometer Stretch
The second phase, covering 5 kilometers from Bundgarden Bridge to Mundhwa, has reached 32% completion. So far, 4 kilometers of embankment and riverbank construction have been finished. Additionally, the relocation of three cemeteries in Wadgaon Sheri—belonging to different religious communities and situated in flood-prone areas—will be completed within the next 45 days. A 3-kilometer pedestrian promenade has also been built along both riverbanks.

Yuvraj Deshmukh, Head of the Special Project Department at PMC, said, “Under the first phase, 85% of the Mula-Mutha Riverfront Development Project is completed, with another 2 kilometers expected to be finished by June. Meanwhile, the second phase has reached 32% completion, and efforts are underway to accelerate progress.”

About the Riverfront Development Project
Rapid urbanization along the Mula-Mutha riverbanks, direct discharge of untreated sewage, and waste dumping have significantly contributed to pollution. To address these challenges, PMC launched the Mula-Mutha Riverfront Development Project in March 2022, inspired by Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati River Rejuvenation Project. The initiative began with a 3.7-kilometer stretch from Sangamwadi to Bundgarden Bridge (Stretch 9).