PUNE, Sept 22: The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has finally decided to go ahead with its ambitious project of setting up a planetarium. The project estimated to cost over Rs 10 crore is likely to be set up in Nehrunagar, the civic ward represented by Mayor Hanumanth Bhosale.The civic standing committee today in principle gave its approval to go ahead with the project which was earlier put in cold storage by former municipal commissioner Pravinsinh Pardeshi after a section of corporators vehemently opposed it.Municipal Commissioner Ganesh Thakur told reporters that the municipal corporation may be able to actually begin work on the project in the next six months. Three sites were identified for the project among which nearly 15 acres of open land near the Yeshwantrao Chavan Rose Garden at Nehrunagar was found to be suitable. Pradhikaran and Kharalwadi were the two other sites.Bhosale said the 15-acre open plot was suitable because it was reserved for public purpose under the development plan. Facilities for parking at the site could be made easily, he said.Thakur said the project would be the only one of its kind in the state and would be a major attraction for people. Noted astrophysicist Dr Jayant Narlikar was also being consulted for the completion of the project, he added. The civic standing committee today sanctioned the creation of 16 new posts to manage the planetarium.Meanwhile, the committee for the third time in a row deferred the sanction for construction of five flyovers on the Mumbai-Pune highway stretch in Pimpri-Chinchwad. Committee chairman Suryakant Thorat said committee members were divided on whether the PCMC should allot the entire work to the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) or construct the fly-overs on its own. Thorat said that the members desired to study the project in detail and hence it was deferred. According to MSRDC estimates, the construction work would cost Rs 115.9 crore. The PCMC however was of the view that the work could cost up to Rs 60 crore less.
