PMRDA appointed planning authority for development of 23 newly merged villages in PMC, BJP slams move

The ruling BJP has called a special meeting of the general body to pass a resolution for preparing the development plan (DP) for 23 villages and would be taking legal opinion on the government decision before taking any step.

"All religious programmes are banned in the city due to Covid-19. So, residents should hold Bakri Eid prayers at home and not in a mosque or public place," said Municipal Commissioner Vikram Kumar.

The state government on Wednesday appointed Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) as the special planning authority that will prepare a development plan for 23 newly merged villages in civic limits of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC). This was, however, slammed by the ruling BJP in the PMC, which has alleged that the decision was illegal and “snatched away the fundamental rights of the civic body”.

The ruling BJP has called a special meeting of the general body to pass a resolution for preparing the development plan (DP) for 23 villages and would be taking legal opinion on the government decision before taking any step.

The state urban development department issued a notification to appoint PMRDA as the special planning authority (SPA) for the newly merged villages on June 30. “According to the proposal of the region development authority, the 23 villages are included in the regional plan and no secondary and collector roads are proposed in the regional plan. The roads are developed as per land availability and with no planned alignment, also widths are not as per requirement. As reservations for various public purposes are not proposed in the regional plan, no public amenities are developed. Thus, the area of the 23 villages is of undeveloped nature and development in this area is unplanned and in an uncontrolled manner,” stated the notification.

It further stated that the government is of the opinion that the underdeveloped area of the 23 villages in PMC limits should be notified and, for this area, PMRDA should be appointed as SPA. “Area of the 23 villages in the PMC limits is notified and PMRDA is appointed as SPA for this area,” declared the state government as per powers conferred by Sections 40(1) and 40(1)(d) of Maharashtra Metropolitan Region Development Authority Act, 2016.

Mayor Murlidhar Mohol, House leader Ganesh Bidkar and standing committee chairperson Hemant Rasane held a joint press conference to object against the state government’s decision. “The state government has taken an illegal decision. It has merged 23 villages in the PMC in a hurry by keeping forthcoming elections in mind, but appointed PMRDA to prepare the DP for the new area. This shows the double standards of the state government,” Mohol said.

He said the state government should have first got the DP approved by PMRDA and then merged it in the PMC if it was really concerned. “We have welcomed the decision to merge 23 villages in the PMC, but it was wrong to not allow the civic body to prepare its DP. The state government’s decision of first merging the villages in the PMC and then appointing PMRDA to prepare the DP raises doubts over its intentions,” he said.

Bidkar said, “The state government has snatched away the fundamental right of the PMC, as per law. We will take legal opinion to decide our stand. The civic general body will hold a detailed discussion on it on Thursday.”

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City NCP chief Prashant Jagtap and Congress leader Ulhas Bagul said the appointment of PMRDA would help expedite the finalising of the DP and avoid a delay in the process. “The merged villages were part of PMRDA before being included in PMC limits. The PMRDA has already completed the long process of preparing the draft of the DP of the entire Pune metropolitan region, including the 23 villages, so it will finalise the DP in little time and ensure proper development of the area,” Bagul said.

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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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