Pune HCMTR Project Faces Objections Over Private Vehicle Lanes; ₹5,192-Crore Plan Under Scrutiny ?

Pune: Proposed 35.96-km High Capacity Mass Transit Route (HCMTR), estimated to cost ₹5,192 crore, has drawn objections from the Parisar organisation, which has raised concerns that the project could deviate from its original objective of prioritising public transport.

Six-Lane Elevated Corridor Questioned

The organisation has objected to the plan to develop the route as a six-lane elevated corridor, with four lanes for private vehicles and two for Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) services. It has urged the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and the state government to ensure transparency, obtain the necessary environmental clearances, conduct an independent road safety audit and consult citizens before proceeding.

According to Parisar, the HCMTR was originally envisaged as a public transport corridor under Pune’s 1987 Development Plan. The plan proposed a rapid bus transport system, with the possibility of developing tram or rail-based public transport in the future. The reservation was retained in the revised Development Plan of 2017.

Private Vehicle Lanes Raise Concerns

However, the proposed project reportedly provides four of the six lanes for private vehicles, raising concerns about whether public transport will remain the corridor’s primary purpose.

The stretch from Bopodi to Vishrantwadi is proposed to have 26 stations and 33 connecting roads.

Development Plan Amendment Demanded

Ranjit Gadgil, Programme Director at Parisar, said the purpose of a corridor reserved for public transport cannot be changed merely through a Detailed Project Report (DPR) or tender document.

“Any such change must follow the legally prescribed procedure for amending the Development Plan, including inviting suggestions and objections from citizens,” Gadgil said.

The organisation has called for greater public participation and a transparent review of the project’s design, environmental implications and road safety provisions.

PMC defends changes to the plan

Responding to the objections, Pune Municipal Corporation City Engineer Aniruddha Pawaskar said the changes had been made in accordance with the applicable legal procedure and were necessary to address evolving traffic requirements.

“The HCMTR is a 24-metre-wide road, with four lanes exclusively meant for four-wheelers. Two-wheelers and three-wheelers will not be permitted on the route. All changes incorporated into the HCMTR project have been made through the prescribed legal process. The original proposal had to be modified in view of changing traffic requirements and prevailing conditions,” Pawaskar said.

The debate over the HCMTR has brought the corridor’s intended role in Pune’s transport network into focus, with Parisar seeking clarity on the legal process, environmental safeguards and the extent to which the project will prioritise public transport over private vehicles.