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Hurdles ahead for town-planning schemes

Radheshyam Jadhav

, TNN | Feb 16, 2011, 12.42AM IST

PUNE: Town-planning schemes (TPS) proposed on over 1,400 acres in the 23 fringe villages surrounding Pune
have become a bone of contention between the Pune Municipal Corporation and the state government. Pressure
has been mounting on the state to scrap these schemes, but political parties in the civic body have unanimously
supported them.
The City Improvement Committee (CIC) of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Monday approved the TP
schemes proposed in the draft Development Plan (DP) for the 23 merged villages. "The resolution will be tabled
before the general body (GB) on Thursday. After the GB clears the resolution, it will be sent to the state
government," CIC chairman Virendra Kirad told reporters.
It is up to the state to decide about the TP schemes. Eight TP schemes have been implemented so far since they
were launched in 1935. Town-planning schemes are the best way to execute the development plan for a city.
Land is pooled and amenities and facilities are developed so that the community gets an equitable share of the
land. The schemes are for a smaller area and can be incorporated into the DP.
Scrapping of the town-planning schemes would benefit the builders' lobby. "A section of developers and builders
is mounting pressure on the state government to scrap the TP schemes as they will have no role to play if they
are approved. In fact, the urban development department had received orders to cancel the TP schemes. But
timely intervention by chief minister Prithviraj Chavan stopped it and the PMC's views were sought," said a senior
Congress leader.
In a recent letter, the state town-planning director had asked the municipal commissioner to submit the PMC's
views on the town-planning schemes in the draft DP.
The civic chief asked the corporators to decide. However, leaders of all the political parties objected to the letter,
saying that once the general body had approved a resolution to implement the TPS , the government should not
seek the PMC's views again.
As of now, the TP schemes have the backing in Pune's political circles. Trouble may start when the resolution
goes to the state government for final approval. Urban planners are worried that the TP schemes may get mired
in problems like the biodiversity park projects.
For one, the state government may buckle under pressure to scrap the TP schemes. "The ball would be in the
state government's court. It can either agree to the PMC's decision or scrap the resolution. Under the MRTP Act,
1966, the state government is the final authority. If it decides to scrap the PMC's decision it can do so without
asking for any suggestion or objections from the public. In such a case, the PMC can approve another resolution
demanding TP schemes," said a civic official.
"The DP for 23 villages is pending because of TP schemes and water scarcity zones. There is a demand to scrap
the TP scheme, but the Congress supports them," said Aba Bagul, Congress leader in the PMC. "There is no
question of opposing the TP schemes as it is one of the best options available for infrastructure development,"
said Nilesh Nikam, NCP leader in the PMC.
Shiv Sena leader Sham Deshpande said that the state government cannot ask the PMC for its views on TP
schemes as the GB has approved the DP for 23 villages which included TP schemes.
BJP leader in the PMC Mukta Tilak said that the state government was not interested in approving the DP for the
23 merged villages. "Once the GB has approved the TP schemes, the state government should not go into it

again and again. The DP should be approved immediately," said Tilak.

Independent corporator Ujwal Keskar said that the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act (MRTP) Act,
1966, has no provision to keep the TP scheme reservation in the DP. "TP schemes are a must for infrastructure
development and the state government should support the PMC in their implementation," said Keskar.
"Deccan Gymkhana is one of the best examples of TP scheme. They are the most judicious and equitable way of
infrastructure development where land pooling and distribution are keys," said urban planner Anita Gokhale
Beninger. Prabhat road and Bhandarkar road were also developed on TP scheme models.