'Bro, You Are Losing Sanity': PMC Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram's Reply To Activist Over Pune Riverfront Project

A social media exchange between Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram and environmental activist Ameet Singh over the Pune Riverfront Development has drawn attention online.

Sharing an update on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday, Commissioner Ram said the PMC has approved the sixth stretch of the project. "PMC approves Riverfront Development for stretch 6 with a focus on sustainable, aesthetically pleasing, flood-free and functional spaces," he wrote.

Responding to the post, activist Singh criticised the project and said, "The destruction of Pune continues. He (Ram) has learned nothing from the floods that Pune experienced in July this year."

Tagging civic activist Sarang Yadwadkar and the IAS Association, Singh further remarked, "They call us people of science fools. This IAS bureaucracy is a national cancer, I tell you."

Ram replied to the criticism with a brief message: "Bro, you are losing sanity. Be patient."

Know about RFD:

The PMC’s Rs 4,727 crore RFD project is being implemented along the lines of the Sabarmati riverfront development project in Ahmedabad.

It will cover 44 km of riverfront, with 22 km developed on each side, extending through Pimpri-Chinchwad as well.

91 km of embankments will be constructed along the river banks to protect low-lying areas from flooding. There will be green embankments in a 247-hectare area, including landscaping on the sloped pitches of the urban and rural riparian areas.

The project proposes public amenities on 23 hectares of land, including 18 temples, 18 crematoriums, and an increase in food courts from five to 11. The public will be able to access the river via 249 staircases, 19 ramps, and 74 refurbished ghats. It also proposes parks and gardens on 50 hectares of land.

However, the project has faced significant criticism and legal challenges from citizen groups and environmentalists, who argue that it could damage the river's ecology, reduce natural floodplains and increase flood risks, while also alleging violations of environmental norms.