Pune: State to Form Panel to Review Pimpri Chinchwad Red Zone, Report in a Month

Pune, 29th June 2026: The state government on Monday announced that it will constitute a coordination committee comprising officials from the state government, the defence department, the district administration and the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) to examine issues related to the Red Zone in Pimpri Chinchwad and submit a report within a month. Based on the report, the state will pursue the matter with the Centre for a reduction in the Red Zone boundaries.

The assurance was given by minister of state Madhuri Misal in the Legislative Assembly while replying to a calling attention motion moved by BJP MLA Mahesh Landge during the ongoing monsoon session.

Raising the issue, Landge said nearly 62,000 residential and commercial properties, affecting around four lakh residents, fall within the Red Zone around the Dehu Road Ordnance Depot and Dighi Magazine Depot. He said the restrictions have stalled development in areas such as Chikhali, Ravet, Talawade, Nigdi, Bhosari, Moshi, Dighi, Kiwale and Mamurdi.

According to Landge, residents living in these areas for generations are unable to repair or reconstruct their houses or obtain bank loans. He also alleged that while the civic body has been collecting property tax for nearly two decades, it has cited Red Zone restrictions to deny basic infrastructure such as roads and water supply.

Landge further said that buildings constructed under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) in Sector 22 remain unused because of the restrictions, while plots auctioned by the erstwhile Pimpri Chinchwad New Town Development Authority cannot be developed. He also questioned how an IT park within the Red Zone had received all necessary clearances.

Recalling earlier efforts, the BJP legislator said six meetings had been held during the tenure of former defence minister Manohar Parrikar to reduce the restricted area from 2,000 yards to 500 yards, but the proposal remained pending after Parrikar’s death.

Responding to the discussion, Misal acknowledged that the concerns raised by the MLA reflected the ground reality. She said the issue arose because several buildings had received permissions before the Red Zone was formally notified in 2013.

The minister said a survey conducted in 2025 using modern technology suggested that the restricted boundary could be reduced by up to 100 metres at some locations. However, she clarified that any change would require approval from the Union government.

She said the proposed coordination committee would submit its report within a month, following which the chief minister and the Union defence ministry would be approached to seek a reduction in the Red Zone limits.

Misal also said the state government was working on a long-term solution for affected residents. As an interim relief, a 50% waiver in the general tax has been granted. She added that after the defence authorities certify the survey maps, the process of acquiring reserved plots under the development plan and paying compensation at ready reckoner rates would be initiated.

Welcoming the government’s assurance, Landge said the Red Zone issue was not merely about land or construction, but about the future and rights of thousands of families. “The formation of the coordination committee is an important step. I will continue to pursue the issue until a permanent solution is found and every affected resident gets justice,” he said.