Pune Metro Encroachment Sparks Legal Notice from Citizens’ Forum
Pune, 13th December 2023: The Association of Nagar Road Citizens Forums has issued a legal notice to key authorities involved in the Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation regarding the ongoing issues with Metro Reach III alignment on Nagar Road. The notice, addressed to top officials including the Managing Director of the Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation and Pune Municipal Commissioner, highlights the concerns raised by the citizens’ forum and demands immediate attention to rectify the situation.
At the outset, the citizens’ forum expressed its initial support for the Metro Rail Transport System, expecting it to provide a quality public transport system and reduce private vehicle ownership and ridership. However, the reality has deviated from these expectations, particularly on the Reach III alignment on Nagar Road since 2018.
The citizens’ forum emphasized the need for Maharashtra Metro to align its actions with the Comprehensive Mobility Plan for Pune (CMP) and adhere to the Development Plan 1987, which they claim has not been the case.
The legal notice outlines several key concerns and demands corrective actions from Maharashtra Metro:
1. Relocation of Metro Stations: The citizens’ forum insists that Metro Reach III should not commence operations until the Yerwada and Ramwadi Metro Stations are relocated away from Development Plan Road onto private or government land behind. This relocation is deemed necessary to ensure a clear passageway for existing and increasing vehicular movement, without unnecessary bottlenecks caused by Metro stations encroaching onto the Development Plan of Nagar Road.
2. Violation of Road Width Parameters: The notice alleges that Maharashtra Metro has ignored the prescribed road width parameters, encroaching by 7m onto the road meant for smooth vehicular traffic movement. The citizens demand adherence to the Development Plan 1987 in this regard.
3. Footpath Encroachment and Lack of Parking Bays: Maharashtra Metro is accused of annexing the full footpath width for its staircase and lift at Bund Garden, creating a zigzag footpath that poses obstacles for pedestrians. Additionally, the citizens claim that the Metro has not provided adequate parking bays, essential for commuters driving private vehicles to board the Metro.
4. Failure in Holistic Planning: The citizens argue that Maharashtra Metro has failed in holistic management and technical planning, focusing only on the escalated Metro without considering the impact on all road users. They highlight the chaos at Ruby Hall’s Metro station and Pune Railway Station’s Metro station as indicators of potential issues at Yerwada and Ramwadi if corrective measures are not taken.
5. Lack of Transparency and Communication: The legal notice accuses Maharashtra Metro and other authorities of not being transparent, failing to communicate with each other, and lacking accountability for the convenience of the general public. The citizens express dissatisfaction with the response from Dr. Hemant Sonawane, Director (PR) MahaMetro, describing replies as diverting and ambiguous.
The citizens’ forum has requested the Divisional Commissioner, as the head of Pune United Metropolitan Transport Authority (PUMTA), to convene a meeting by December 25, 2023. The purpose of this meeting is to review and present plans regarding the current scenario and future assumptions on traffic congestion at Yerwada and Ramwadi stations. The citizens expect the decision-making heads of all relevant authorities to attend this meeting and address their concerns.
Should the request for a joint meeting be denied, and Metro services commence to Yerwada and Ramwadi stations, the citizens’ forum expresses its intention to approach the next legal platform to seek redressal.
