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. (Express Photo)
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 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.
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.