Pune: HCMTR’s Proposed High-Capacity Rapid Transit Corridor Gains State Approval, Actions Expected Next Month
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The Maharashtra state government has granted conditional approval to the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) proposed High-Capacity Mass Transit Rapid (HCMTR) corridor, aimed at enhancing transportation speed within the city. An official notification regarding these proposed changes has been issued, with citizens expected to witness activities and updates in the upcoming month.
The HCMTR proposal intends to improve traffic flow across Pune, covering a stretch of 35.96 kilometers with a width of 24 meters. Key locations identified for this high-capacity rapid transit corridor include Bopodi, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Senapati Bapat Road, Paud Phata, Karve Road, Dattawadi, Sarasbaug, Swargate, Nehru Road, Lullanagar, Wanowrie, Ramwadi, Vadgaon Sheri, Viman Nagar Chowk, and Vishrantwadi.
The Pune Municipal Corporation, through a unanimous decision, endorsed the HCMTMR project in its recent council meeting. This proposal had been forwarded to the state government for approval in February 2022, which was subsequently sanctioned with certain conditions. The project’s approval covers various segments of the proposed corridor, while adjustments have been made in some areas, such as from Laxminarayan Talkies Chowk to Market Yard Corner and Gangadham Chowk to Aaimata Mandir.
A detailed map will soon be available at PMC offices for public viewing during office hours throughout the month. The announcement will also be accessible on the state government’s official website.
The notification emphasizes that stakeholders in Katraj should submit proposals for the places where the proposed HCMTR is expected to be implemented. It is necessary to propose the necessary environmental guarantees and checks before starting the work related to the proposed changes to the HCMTR route, the application has been called.
Concern Over PMC’s Resurrected HCMTR Project
Qaneez Sukhrani, Convenor – Association of Nagar Road Citizens Forum said, “It seems that the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has revived the outdated HCMTR project after the General Body’s approval in 2022. The project, modified to speed up intra-city traffic, was sent to the State Government in August for approval and has recently received it. A notification for objections and suggestions from citizens will be issued soon. It’s alarming that PMC is pursuing this project under the pretext of improving traffic flow while seemingly aiming to increase development charges through Transit-Oriented Development (TOD). If the goal is truly to enhance traffic movement, the Collector should expedite land acquisition for the 128 km Ring Road to divert inter-city traffic away from Pune, thus reducing intra-city congestion logically.”
Qaneez further said, “PMC and the State Government are pushing the HCMTR, designed for private vehicles, despite global efforts to reduce carbon footprints. They should focus on conventional public transport, like trains and buses, instead. We question the repeated attempts to resurrect the outdated HCMTR from the Pune DP 1987. The project’s alignment, conceived before Pune’s expansion, now lies in congested areas, making it impractical. Has a new Detailed Project Report, Environmental Impact Assessment, Socio-Economic Impact Assessment, or Traffic Survey been prepared? Current proposals for multiple bridges, flyovers, and grade separators appear to benefit certain individuals politically and financially rather than the public.”
