State govt approves handover of three land plots totalling 52,000sqm for Mula-Mutha riverfront development project

Pune: State govt on Thursday approved the transfer of three land plots located along the Mula-Mutha river for the riverfront development project (RFD). A total of 52,851sqm of land will be handed over to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC). The decision was taken at a state cabinet meeting held on Thursday.The plots include an 11,015sqm parcel located between Sangamwadi Bridge and Bund Garden Bridge, a 34,128sqm plot at the Mundhwa Botanical Garden, and another 7,700sqm plot in the Mundhwa area belonging to the Women and Child Welfare Department.Mayor Manjusha Nagpure welcomed the state’s decision, saying it would help improve the condition of the river.Standing Committee chairman Shrinath Bhimale said the project would now move ahead at a faster pace. “The Standing Committee on Thursday also approved a proposal tabled by corporator Dada Kodre to extend the riverfront development project from Mundhwa to Manjari,” he said.Among other key decisions taken at the Standing Committee meeting on Thursday, Bhimale said a proposal was sanctioned to provide land near the PMPML bus depot for the Balewadi garbage transfer unit. The garbage unit had recently witnessed a fire incident. Local corporators and activists had demanded additional land for proper waste handling to reduce the hardships faced by citizens.Rejuvenation and conservation of Peshwa-era Katraj-Shaniwarwada water supply projectThe PMC’s standing committee on Thursday gave the go-ahead for the rejuvenation and conservation of the Peshwa-era Katraj to Shaniwarwada water supply project. The proposal was tabled by NCP corporator Suhas Tingre.According to Tingre, the proposal aims to conserve the water line under a “heritage conservation project.”“The system functioned efficiently during the Peshwa era and included a nearly 20-km pipeline network that supplied water from Katraj lake to the core city areas. Several tanks were also constructed under the scheme for water storage and distribution,” Tingre said.He said all remnants of the project should be properly conserved, and efforts should be made to rejuvenate the historic system.Other decisions-A proposal was sanctioned to reduce the penalty on non-payment of property tax from 2% to 1%. The proposal will now go to the general body for approval and later to state govt for consideration.-A fund allocation of Rs 10 crore was approved for the PMC-run Kamla Nehru Hospital to upgrade medical services