Pune: Punawale Residents Demand Public School, Oppose Leasing Reserved Education Land To Private Body
PCMC Reorganises Ward Committees, Establishes 10 Regional Offices Named After Forts
Saakshi Pandhare
Pune, May 12, 2026: Residents and housing societies in Punawale have strongly objected to a proposal to lease land reserved for a secondary school to a private organisation. Citizens are demanding that the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation instead build a modern public school on the site to meet the growing educational needs of the area.
In a letter submitted to the PCMC Commissioner on May 11, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Co-operative Housing Societies Federation raised concerns over the reported proposal to lease around 0.91 hectares of land in Survey Nos. 38 and 44 at Punawale to a private institution for 30 years. The land has been reserved for a secondary school under the Development Plan (DP).
The federation stated that the proposal has created “intense dissatisfaction” among residents and housing societies. Residents fear that handing over the reserved public land to a private institution could reduce access to affordable education in the rapidly developing suburb.
According to the federation, the land is considered highly valuable public property and should not be leased out for what it described as a relatively nominal amount of ₹7 crore for three decades. The letter questioned whether the move was truly in the public interest.
With Punawale witnessing rapid urban growth and a rise in residential housing societies, residents said there is an increasing demand for affordable and quality secondary education. They argued that if a private institution develops the school, the fee structure may become too expensive for many middle-class families.
The federation pointed to PCMC’s CBSE school project in Wakad as an example and urged the civic body to build a similar modern municipal school in Punawale using public funds.
The letter also alleged a lack of transparency in the decision-making process. According to residents, local citizens, housing society representatives, and elected representatives were not consulted before the proposal was considered. The federation demanded that public opinion be taken into account before any decision regarding the privatisation of the reserved land is finalised.
Among the key demands made by the federation are:
- Immediate cancellation of the proposal to lease the reserved school land to a private organisation.
- Construction of a modern municipal secondary or CBSE school by PCMC.
- Public disclosure of the tender and financial valuation process.
- Conducting a public hearing involving local citizens and parents.
The letter was signed by Sachin Londhe from the Pimpri-Chinchwad Co-operative Housing Societies Federation. Copies of the letter were also sent to the Chief Minister’s Office, the Mayor of PCMC, and the Divisional Commissioner’s Office in Pune.
Responding to the issue, PCMC Education Officer Sangeeta Bangar said that under UDC PCR rules, only private land can be considered and that, as of now, PCMC land will not be handed over to anyone. She added that the matter would be reviewed in the upcoming Standing Committee meeting.
“We have a standing meeting tomorrow. We will look into the issue and discuss possible solutions,” PCMC Commissioner Dr Vijay Suryavanshi said.
