Sanction for city’s first 100-metre building,more proposals in queue

With the state government allowing the construction of 100-metre-high buildings last year,this is the committee’s first such approval after nearly 15 proposals of 70-metre-tall buildings were approved last month. The PMC sanctioned permission for the building to be built by Swapnali Bhonsale Construction at Ghorpadi.

Confirming the trend,Rohit Gera of Gera Developers said his company too was open to this idea of growing vertical. “It’s on my agenda.”

Recently,Kumar Builders had announced the launch of its first 100-metre-high residential tower of 80 apartments. At present,they have permission up to 70 m height and the process for approval for the remaining height is on. Chairman of Kumar Builders Lalitkumar Jain said they had got a good response for this project being planned in Kothrud.

In November 2007,the state government gave the nod for 100-metre buildings in Pune . The official notification of the order came on November 15,by which the elevation was raised from the prevailing height restriction of 36 m (12 floors) that had come into force a decade earlier to 30-floor buildings above the ground.

While former town planner Ramchandra Guhad feels the trend is a good sign for Pune that is growing on all fronts,president of National Society of Clean Cities Satish Khot begs to differ.”Is there infrastructure to house such skyscrapers? Will the PMC be able to provide equitable distribution of water supply to these buildings? Does it come under green zone? Have they got the high flood line clearance?” he asks.

“Unless the civic administration is able to provide the necessary infrastructure,there is no point in going vertical.”