Supreme Court Admits Petition Against Balbharti-Paud Phata Road Project, Issues Notices to PMC and State Authorities
Supreme Court Admits Petition Against Balbharti-Paud Phata Road Project, Issues Notices to PMC and State Authorities
On May 27, 2025, the Honourable Supreme Court admitted a Special Leave Petition (SLP) challenging the recent Bombay High Court order that allowed the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to move forward with the controversial Balbharti-Paud Phata Road project.
Following the admission of the petition, the apex court has issued notices to the PMC, Maharashtra Government, and the Forest Department. Hearings are scheduled to begin in July after the court reopens following its summer recess.
Earlier this year, in February 2025, the Bombay High Court had ruled in PIL No. 14/2022 that the PMC could proceed with the proposed road project, contingent on acquiring clearances from the Forest and Environment Departments. This decision has now been contested through the admitted SLP.
The Balbharti-Paud Phata Road project dates back to a 1996 General Body Resolution passed by the PMC. That resolution was struck down by the Bombay High Court in 2016. Despite this, the PMC included the project in Pune’s Development Plan, which was finalized by the Maharashtra government in 2017.
Over the last four decades, the project has faced persistent and widespread public opposition. A major protest on April 15, 2023, saw nearly 5,000 Pune residents marching in the rain to voice their disapproval of the road development.
