PCMC to Maharashtra Government: Compensation Required for Permanent Land Allocations to Maha Metro
Reported By Varad Bhatkhande
Pimpri Chinchwad, 20th August 2024: The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has written a letter to the Maharashtra State Government concerning the returns they are receiving for providing their land to Maha Metro. This has led to an obstruction in the extension of the Purple Line towards Nigdi. In the letter, PCMC stated that appropriate compensation should be provided for the previously given 10 prime locations and the 15 additional locations that are to be allocated for the Nigdi extension. They have emphasized that these locations should only be transferred, and ownership granted if the compensation is provided.
In the city of Pimpri Chinchwad, the Metro currently operates over a 7.5-kilometre stretch from Dapodi to the PCMC Building. For these works, the PCMC contributed ₹287.7 crores to Maha Metro. Now, the extension of the Metro from the PCMC Building to Nigdi is underway. For this extension, Maha Metro requires 15 locations, totalling 4,886 square meters. Maha Metro is pushing to acquire these locations permanently.
In 2018, the PCMC provided 10 prime locations to Maha Metro for parking and other Metro facilities on a 30-year rental basis. However, these locations have since been “eyed” by both Maha Metro and the Maharashtra State Government. The Maharashtra Government argues that to make the Metro project financially viable, it needs additional support. The government suggests that utilizing these spaces for commercial development is essential for raising funds. However, since PCMC has allotted these spaces on a 30-year rental basis, it is facing difficulties in utilizing them for commercial purposes.
Considering this, the Maharashtra Government has now decided to allocate PCMC-owned spaces to the metro for commercial use without any conditions, aiming to increase non-ticket revenue and enhance the financial stability of Pune Metro. The Urban Development Department of the Maharashtra Government had instructed the PCMC to provide ten prime locations to the metro. However, the Land and Estates Department of PCMC cannot permanently transfer these ten locations to Metro without compensation. A letter has been sent to the Maharashtra Government stating that if the space is required, appropriate compensation should be provided. This situation indicates a potential escalation of disputes between these two organizations over the allocation of these locations.
Avinash Shinde, Assistant Municipal Commissioner of the Land and Estates Department, PCMC, stated that Maha Metro should provide proper compensation to PCMC for the spaces. A letter has been sent to the Maharashtra Government, indicating that the spaces should only be transferred to Metro with ownership rights and without conditions after adequate compensation is provided.
