Pune: PCMC Halts Riverfront Work at Pimple Nilakh After Debris Dumping Sparks Outcry

Pimple Nilakh, 16th May 2025: The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has temporarily stopped work on a 400-metre section of the Mula riverfront development project near Pimple Nilakh following serious objections raised by the irrigation department, local citizens, and environmental groups over illegal debris dumping on the riverbed.

In an official communication issued to the contractor on Wednesday, PCMC instructed an immediate suspension of construction activities at the disputed stretch. The letter, signed by the executive engineer from the environment department, cited the need to obtain expert technical inputs before proceeding further.

Redesign on the Cards
Sanjay Kulkarni, City Engineer and Head of the Environment Department, told Punekar News that the pause in work is part of a cautious step forward. “Of the 9 km planned under the riverfront initiative, only about 1.5 km has seen active work so far. We encountered challenges specifically in the Pimple Nilakh portion. A redesign is underway for that 400-metre segment. Work will resume once we receive revised plans from technical experts, which is expected in the next few days,” Kulkarni said.

Irrigation Dept Raises Red Flags
The irrigation department had earlier issued multiple notices warning PCMC about the consequences of dumping debris into the riverbed. In a recent communication, the department’s chief engineer had stressed that the river’s natural cross-section must not be reduced and instructed the civic body to comply with the guidelines outlined in the No Objection Certificate (NOC) granted for the project.

Activists Slam Environmental Violations
Environmentalists allege that their warnings were ignored until formal intervention from the irrigation department forced PCMC’s hand. “This project is reducing the river’s width by nearly 38%, which can significantly increase flood risk during monsoons,” said Raju Savale, a member of the Pune-PCMC River Revival Group.

He added, “The civic body has responded only after persistent pressure from activists and formal notices from the irrigation department. But this is not enough. We’re demanding a complete halt to the project, which we believe is detrimental to the river’s health and ecology.”

Wider Opposition Brewing
Groups opposing the Mula river project are also challenging similar development efforts proposed along the Indrayani and Pavana rivers, warning that riverfront beautification often comes at the cost of ecological destruction.