Pune riverfront project: As greens see red over tree-cutting, PMC may ask Maharashtra govt to take final call

Pune Municipal Corporation has planned to chop down over 6,000 trees alongside Mula and Mutha river that passes through the city to make way for the project.

PMC has claimed that most of the trees that are proposed to be cut down are bushes and foreign species (FILE)

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As the protest against the proposed cutting of trees for the implementation of River Front Development (RFD) project hots up, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is all set to put the ball in the court of the Maharashtra government to take a final call on the matter after holding a public hearing.

The civic body has planned to chop down over 6,000 trees alongside Mula and Mutha river that passes through the city to make way for the project. As a mark of opposition to the move, many eminent environmentalists returned the PMC’s award ‘Paryavaran Doot’ bestowed on them for their contribution to the protection of the natural ecosystem.

The protest was further intensified as the environment experts along with the public took out a march from Sambhaji Garden to Mutha riverbed, near Garware College bridge, where they hugged the trees as a part of `Chipko Andolan’ against the harsh anti-environment approach.

“The PMC had sought permission from the Pune Tree Authority (PTA) for the cutting down of trees for the riverfront development project. There were 150 objections raised against it. So the public hearing will take place from May 8 to 10, and 50 people will be called for hearing every day,” said Municipal Commissioner Vikram Kumar.

The Pune Tree Authority will submit its report to the Maharashtra government for the final decision, he said, and added that the PMC will complete all the required procedures as per the law.

Meanwhile, the PMC has claimed that most of the trees that are proposed to be cut down are bushes and foreign species. “We will be planting more than 65,000 trees of local species to compensate for the trees to be cut for the project,” said PMC executive engineer Yuvraj Deshmukh.

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According to the civic proposal, a total of 7,539 trees are going to be affected of which 3,110 would be completely chopped down while 4,329 would be transplanted. The PMC will be planting 66,434 new trees to compensate for the damage.

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Ravindra Sinha, an activist who has been called for the public hearing, said it is highly objectionable that the civic body of Pune has proposed to cut full-grown age-old trees in the riparian zone of an ancient river which is the natural habitat of endemic flora and fauna.

The riparian zone of rivers is a dense forested area and is a habitat to endemic flora and fauna and it is a deemed forest under Forest Protection Act. Any proposal to cut or transplant trees from riparian zones will negatively impact the aquatic life, birds, animals, and reptiles many of which are protected species as per the Wildlife Protection Act, Sinha said.

He pointed out that the expert committee report is not attached along with the proposal. As per rule, experts are required to have inspected and surveyed the trees, made observations, taken photographs, etc and made their comments.

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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