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Hindustan Times
30-06-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Citizens' protest saves 2-acre plot in Pune; govt scraps builder deal, to set up cancer hospital
A sustained citizens' campaign backed by activists and political leaders has helped save a two-acre prime government plot in Mangalwar Peth from being handed over to a private builder. The state government has now announced that a cancer hospital for western Maharashtra will be set up on the land, located opposite Sassoon General Hospital. The state government has now announced that a cancer hospital for western Maharashtra will be set up on the land, located opposite Sassoon General Hospital. (HT FILE PHOTO) The plot, owned by the state government, was originally handed over to the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) in 1995–96 by the then minister Nitin Gadkari, as MSRDC lacked an office in Pune. However, the land remained unused for decades. In January 2024, a Delhi-based builder put up a board on the plot, revealing that MSRDC has floated a tender and transferred the land without public knowledge. The sudden development triggered opposition with civic activists and leaders from across the political spectrum — including BJP's Ujwal Keskar, Suhas Kulkarni, and Shiv Sena's Prashant Badhe — also joining the public protest, demanding transparency and cancellation of the deal. 'We were shocked to discover that a land valued at over ₹ 300 crore had been allotted for just ₹ 70 crore,' said Keskar. 'MSRDC claimed they needed funds, but why was the land sold below market rate? We didn't get any satisfactory answers.' The opposition mounted at multiple levels, including public campaigns and media coverage. 'Some senior bureaucrats and IPS officers had stakes in this deal,' Keskar alleged, 'and that's how a Delhi-based builder got involved.' Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde, who was said to be overseeing MSRDC at the time, was reportedly instrumental in pushing the deal — a move that even BJP leaders within the alliance opposed. Sassoon General Hospital had long requested this land for a dedicated cancer hospital. BJP MLA Yogesh Tilekar raised the issue in the Assembly, and the government had then verbally assured that the land would be used for the hospital, though no formal decision had followed. On Friday, Urban development minister of state Madhuri Misal held a review meeting at Sassoon hospital and officially announced that the MSRDC land deal had been scrapped. 'We have now decided to set up a cancer hospital on this land. Sassoon General Hospital has been instructed to submit a proposal at the earliest,' she said. A BJP insider noted, 'Though Shinde is part of the ruling alliance, the BJP was not in favour of the land deal. That's why our own minister made the announcement.' The Republican Party of India had also opposed the builder deal and demanded that the plot be used for a Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar memorial. However, the state has decided to prioritise the cancer hospital, citing urgent public need. Activists welcomed the decision. 'This is a victory for citizens,' said Keskar, Kulkarni, and Badhe in a joint statement. 'Western Maharashtra lacked a dedicated cancer hospital. People from Pune and neighbouring districts will now benefit. At the same time, we urge the government to order an inquiry into how this builder deal was allowed to proceed.'
Time of India
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
State quashes PMC's resolution to widen 323 6m roads to 9m across Pune areas
Pune: The state urban development department (UDD) on Thursday quashed a resolution approved by the standing committee of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to widen 323 six-metre roads in Pune city to nine metres. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The quashing of the resolution, which met with a backlash, is expected to give relief to many bungalow and housing society owners from across several city areas, including Sahakarnagar, Kothrud, Prabhat Road, Deccan Gymkhana, and Aundh. These residents had raised concerns over the possible increase in high-rises in narrow lanes fronting their properties, and the resulting pressure on service lines and potential traffic congestion. TOI had highlighted these concerns in a 20-part series of news reports under its 'Planning Controversy' campaign, following the standing committee's road-widening resolution dated June 9, 2020. The conversion would have impacted roads measuring around 103km in total. After the latest development, Rajesh Bankar, a senior official of PMC's building permission department, said, "We have got directives from state govt. They will be implemented, and blanket widening of roads as approved in the resolution will not be done." The state's latest directive says that the PMC's "resolution was not passed with due process. So, it is being scrapped as per provisions of the Maharashtra Municipal Corporations Act of 1949". Former BJP standing committee chairman and corporator Ujjwal Keskar, former BJP corporator Suhas Kulkarni, and Shiv Sena's former corporator Prashant Badhe had moved Bombay High Court in 2021, accusing PMC's standing committee of not following the due legal process as stipulated under section 210 (1) (B) of the Maharashtra Municipal Corporation Act while approving this resolution. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now HC subsequently asked the state UDD to give a hearing to both parties and work out a solution. Accordingly, the state UDD principal secretary KH Govindraj held a joint meeting on April 11 this year with Keskar, Kulkarni, Badhe, then-PMC commissioner Rajendra Bhosale, and city engineer Prashant Waghmare. On April 28, 2025, the UDD published the minutes of the meeting in which it has asked the PMC to resubmit a proposal recommending the quashing of its earlier standing committee resolution. Keskar told TOI, "These roads were mainly in the town planning schemes in the suburbs, and their widening would have caused significant harm to middle-class residents." Kulkarni said, "We want to convey the message that ordinary Pune residents will not tolerate actions taken for the benefit of the wealthy. In the next phase, govt has requested a report from the municipal administration on those who have constructed buildings assuming the roads would be widened to nine metres." Pune: The state urban development department (UDD) on Thursday quashed a resolution approved by the standing committee of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to widen 323 six-metre roads in Pune city to nine metres. The quashing of the resolution, which met with a backlash, is expected to give relief to many bungalow and housing society owners from across several city areas, including Sahakarnagar, Kothrud, Prabhat Road, Deccan Gymkhana, and Aundh. These residents had raised concerns over the possible increase in high-rises in narrow lanes fronting their properties, and the resulting pressure on service lines and potential traffic congestion. TOI had highlighted these concerns in a 20-part series of news reports under its 'Planning Controversy' campaign, following the standing committee's road-widening resolution dated June 9, 2020. The conversion would have impacted roads measuring around 103km in total. After the latest development, Rajesh Bankar, a senior official of PMC's building permission department, said, "We have got directives from state govt. They will be implemented, and blanket widening of roads as approved in the resolution will not be done." The state's latest directive says that the PMC's "resolution was not passed with due process. So, it is being scrapped as per provisions of the Maharashtra Municipal Corporations Act of 1949". Former BJP standing committee chairman and corporator Ujjwal Keskar, former BJP corporator Suhas Kulkarni, and Shiv Sena's former corporator Prashant Badhe had moved Bombay High Court in 2021, accusing PMC's standing committee of not following the due legal process as stipulated under section 210 (1) (B) of the Maharashtra Municipal Corporation Act while approving this resolution. HC subsequently asked the state UDD to give a hearing to both parties and work out a solution. Accordingly, the state UDD principal secretary KH Govindraj held a joint meeting on April 11 this year with Keskar, Kulkarni, Badhe, then-PMC commissioner Rajendra Bhosale, and city engineer Prashant Waghmare. On April 28, 2025, the UDD published the minutes of the meeting in which it has asked the PMC to resubmit a proposal recommending the quashing of its earlier standing committee resolution. Keskar told TOI, "These roads were mainly in the town planning schemes in the suburbs, and their widening would have caused significant harm to middle-class residents." Kulkarni said, "We want to convey the message that ordinary Pune residents will not tolerate actions taken for the benefit of the wealthy. In the next phase, govt has requested a report from the municipal administration on those who have constructed buildings assuming the roads would be widened to nine metres."
Time of India
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Letter to CS on link road from Paud Phata to Balbharati
Pune: Leaders of the city-based "Aapla Parisar" forum, Ujjwal Keskar and Suhas Kulkarni, have written a letter to the chief secretary to allow the construction of the proposed Balbharati to Paud Phata road link. Keskar wrote, "The PMC ( Pune Municipal Corporation ) planned the Balbharati to Paud Phata road link by following all the provisions of the MRTP Act. The Bombay High Court rejected the petition regarding this road and allowed the PMC to construct it. The Supreme Court has not granted any stay on the project. The Central Empowered Committee does not have the authority to stay the direction of the high court; the Supreme Court has the sole authority." Keskar and Kulkarni sent the letter to the chief secretary after the Supreme Court-constituted Central Empowered Committee requested the chief secretary to ensure that no construction was carried out in the "deemed forest" area because its report on the proposed road link was pending consideration before the Supreme Court. Keskar claimed that the said area was not declared a deemed forest and hence, state govt should issue appropriate orders to the PMC to make this road available to people after completing all legal procedures. He also plans to approach the Union environment, forests and climate change minister, Bhupender Yadav, regarding the execution of the proposed road link. "We will put forth all the details and documents, and file a formal complaint with the Union environment minister seeking his intervention in the issue," Keskar said.
