Pune: No Construction on Balbharati-Paud Phata Road Till Supreme Court’s Decision, Says Apex Court Panel

PUNE: The Supreme Court-constituted Central Empowered Committee (CEC) has directed the Maharashtra government to halt all construction activities on the proposed Balbharati-Paud Phata Road until the apex court takes a final decision on the matter.

In a letter to the state chief secretary, the CEC emphasized that no construction should proceed in the “deemed forest” area, citing violations of the Supreme Court’s 1996 judgment in the T.N. Godavarman case and the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Rules, 2023. The committee’s intervention came after environmental activists from Vetal Tekdi Bachav Kruti Samiti (VTBKS) raised concerns over potential ecological damage to Vetal Hill due to the 2.1 km road project proposed by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).

The PMC claims the road will decongest traffic between Balbharati, German Bakery, Law College, Aathle Chowk, and Paud Phata. However, activists argue that the project would irreversibly harm the hill’s biodiversity without solving traffic woes.

Following a site inspection and stakeholder meetings, the CEC submitted a report to the Supreme Court on September 19, 2024, recommending against the road’s construction. The report stressed that “more roads do not provide permanent traffic solutions” and suggested improving public transport and traffic management as alternatives.

While the state chief secretary did not respond to queries, PMC’s road department head Aniruddha Pawaskar stated that the civic body would await official directives from the Supreme Court before proceeding.

Environmentalists, including VTBKS member Prajakta Divekar, welcomed the CEC’s stance, urging the state to protect Vetal Tekdi as Pune’s natural heritage.