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Building Pune: Public concern compels PMC to start process to procure Environment Clearance certificate for Paud Phata-Balbharati Road

Citizens had challenged the project in the Supreme Court, raising concerns about the existing biodiversity on Vetal Tekdi.

3 min readPuneDec 25, 2025 02:39 PM IST

After being stalled for decades due to environmental and legal issues, the controversial Paud Phata-Balbharati Link Road across Vetal Tekdi is set to begin soon. The Pune civic body has decided to appoint an expert consultant to finalise the process of obtaining the Environment Clearance (EC) certificate for the project. Citizens previously challenged the project in the Supreme Court, raising concerns about the existing biodiversity on Vetal Tekdi.

The road, which is 2.1 km long and 30 meters wide, is designed to bypass Law College Road. It was proposed in the city’s Development Plan (DP) after receiving significant opposition from the local people and environmentalists.

The civic body’s decision to proceed with the project, after including it in the DP, also faced backlash, leading to protests due to potential environmental damage, and a case was filed in court. Two months ago, the Supreme Court approved the road project, contingent on securing the EC certificate, and mandated that no construction can begin until the EC is granted.

“The Supreme Court has allowed us to complete the Paud Phata-Balbharati road, provided we secure the EC certificate for the project. Thus, the civic body has decided to appoint an expert agency to handle the EC certificate process, so that there will be no further delay in execution,” said a civic officer.

The appointment of the expert consultant will take place after the ongoing elections for the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) due to the election code of conduct in effect, he said. “The PMC administration wants to avoid any risks and aims to execute the entire process correctly to eliminate further hurdles,” the officer added.

The appointed agency will conduct the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and prepare the Environmental Management Plan (EMP) to mitigate any environmental damage caused by the project.

“The agency will review all relevant court orders and identify public grievances. They will also prepare a feasibility report and collect baseline data, including water quality and underground aquifers. Additionally, they will gather information on air quality, measure noise levels for both day and night, assess the soil characteristics, and conduct a tree count to evaluate the status of flora and fauna that would help in establishing the type of biological environment for ecology,” said a PMC officer.

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It will carry out a traffic study and analysis with respect to travel time, traffic projection, he said.

“The EIA and EMP will be prepared based on baseline studies conducted over one season within the study area. It will have identification of impacts during the construction and operation stages, and predict likely effects. The EIA or EMP will be updated to include comprehensive environmental monitoring across all four seasons to highlight critical aspects of hydrogeology and biodiversity throughout the year,” the officer added.

The EIA or EMP will be updated to include comprehensive environmental monitoring across all four seasons to highlight critical aspects of hydrogeology and biodiversity throughout the year, the officer added.

Civic activist Vivek Velankar said that the PMC should complete the process in a transparent manner instead of keeping the public in the dark. “If the PMC does the EC certificate process properly and transparently, then the public concerns will also get addressed,” he said.

Ajay Jadhav

Ajay Jadhav is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, Pune. With over 22 years of experience in the industry, he is a highly specialized journalist whose work focuses on the intersection of urban infrastructure, governance, and sustainability. Professional Background Role: As Assistant Editor, he plays a key role in the editorial direction of the Pune bureau, specializing in urban policy and its direct impact on citizens. Education: He holds a Master’s degree in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a PG Diploma in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). He also studied at the prestigious Fergusson College. Impactful Reporting: He is credited with research-based articles on conservancy staff (waste workers) that influenced national policy for better working conditions. He is also known for exposing the contrast between high-end infrastructure (like helipads for leaders) and the lack of basic amenities like schools in their home districts. Personal Interests: An avid trekker and sports enthusiast, his personal interest in the outdoors often informs his reporting on environmental protection and sustainable development. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) His reporting in late 2025 has been dominated by the upcoming January 2026 Civic Polls in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, and the city's infrastructure boom: 1. Political Analysis (Civic Elections 2026) "Not friendly but a bitter fight lies ahead between BJP and NCP for PMC, PCMC" (Dec 22, 2025): A detailed look at the intense rivalry between the Mahayuti partners as they prepare for the January 15 municipal elections. "Pune civic polls: Big blow to NCP, NCP(SP) as leaders switch to BJP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on high-profile poaching and party-hopping ahead of the elections. "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): Analyzing the results of the local self-government body elections as a precursor to the main civic polls. 2. Infrastructure & Urban Development "Looking Ahead at 2026: Pune to see inauguration of much-awaited Hinjewadi to Shivajinagar metro route" (Dec 22, 2025): An "outlook" piece on the critical Metro Line 3 project expected to finish by March 2026. "Building Pune: PMC to construct double-decker bridge over Mula-Mutha River" (Dec 18, 2025): Detailing a major project aimed at easing traffic between Hadapsar and Kharadi. "Condition of highway from Pune to Kolhapur to improve in a year: Gadkari" (Dec 4, 2025): Reporting on the Union Minister’s assurances regarding one of the state's most critical transport corridors. 3. Civic Governance & Environment "Install sensors, LED indicators at construction sites within 15 days: PMC to builders" (Dec 16, 2025): A follow-up to the "Breathless Pune" series, reporting on new mandates for builders to monitor air quality in real-time. "Errors in electoral rolls: PMC corrects data of 92,466 voters" (Dec 16, 2025): Tracking the administrative efforts to clean up the voter lists before the 2026 elections. Signature Style Ajay Jadhav is known for accountability journalism. His work often bridges the gap between high-level policy and the "ground zero" reality of Pune's residents. He is particularly focused on Sustainable Development, ensuring that as Pune grows into a "Bharat Mandapam" style destination (referring to his report on the Lohegaon project), its environmental and social safeguards remain intact. X (Twitter): @ajay_khape ... Read More

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