PMRDA Ring Road Plan Sparks Confusion; Farmers and Small Plot Owners Face Uncertainty
PMRDA Ring Road Plan Sparks Confusion; Farmers and Small Plot Owners Face Uncertainty
Fresh concerns are emerging around the proposed ring road project in the Pune Metropolitan Region, as inconsistencies in planning and communication by the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) begin to surface. Property owners who had legally secured permissions and invested in construction are now being told that their buildings fall within the ring road alignment, leaving many shocked and financially vulnerable.
According to reports from Maharashtra Times, PMRDA appears to have overlooked approvals granted by its own construction department while finalizing the ring road layout. The authority had earlier sanctioned building plans for plots along the proposed corridor of the 65-meter-wide road under the regional development plan. However, the same locations are now being marked as affected by the project.
The issue has come to light when citizens approached PMRDA for routine processes such as plinth inspections, completion certificates, or applications related to Transferable Development Rights (TDR) and Floor Space Index (FSI). At this stage, they were informed that their properties are impacted by the ring road, with officials even stating that the road passes through their land. This unexpected revelation has created distress among farmers and small landholders who had proceeded with construction in good faith.
Further complicating matters, PMRDA’s engineering department reportedly submitted a revised proposal for the ring road to the state government without coordinating with its construction department. This revised plan includes major changes such as large interchanges at certain locations and junctions at others. However, these updates have not been officially published or communicated to the public.
As a result, discrepancies have emerged between the ring road map and the zoning map available on PMRDA’s official website. Citizens are now being asked to undergo fresh zoning procedures to align with the updated plans. At the same time, many are being told that junctions are planned directly over their buildings, placing them in a difficult position.
Sudhir Kulkarni has raised serious concerns over the matter, stating that the revised plan was not made publicly available even during the Social Impact Assessment (SIA) conducted in 2023. According to him, citizens were misled during the process. Now, when they apply for approvals like plinth checking, completion certificates, TDR, or FSI, they are being informed that their properties are affected by the project. He pointed out that several small plot owners had already obtained construction permissions, registered their projects under RERA, and sold flats and commercial units. The sudden change has left them uncertain about their future and financial liabilities. He has called for a thorough investigation into the issue.
For context, FSI (Floor Space Index) determines the permissible construction area on a given plot, while TDR (Transferable Development Rights) allows developers to acquire additional construction rights by purchasing them from other areas.
