Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis emphasised the need for transformative urban development, stating that with 50% of the state's population now living in 500 cities, improving urban infrastructure is crucial for enhancing citizens' quality of life. He was speaking at the inauguration of the 'Pune Urban Dialogue' event, jointly organised by Yashada, Barve Charitable Trust, the International Center, and Pune Municipal Corporation at Yashada.
Fadnavis underlined the importance of initiatives like ‘Pune Urban Dialogue’ to address the challenges faced by rapidly growing cities. He revealed that the development plan for the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) has been scrapped, with a new focus on building a robust road network first. “While developing new cities and settlements under PMRDA, the priority must be on creating large roads and urban transport infrastructure,” he said.
Addressing public transportation concerns, the CM announced the formation of an integrated metropolitan transport authority to ensure efficient connectivity. “Public transport cannot be successful without last-mile connectivity,” he stressed.
Citing Mumbai’s integrated ticketing system, Fadnavis explained that one ticket currently enables travel across suburban trains, metro, monorail, and even water taxis. “The goal is to allow seamless journey planning within a 200-meter radius, covering the entire travel route,” he said.
Highlighting broader urban development efforts, the CM shared that 17 regional development plans have been prepared for cities like Mumbai, Pune, Nashik and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. These plans were created without significant disputes, focusing on sustainable and planned urban growth.
Fadnavis warned that unplanned urbanisation leads to cities becoming unsustainable. “Without proper housing, slums proliferate, rivers and streams get blocked, and waste and sewage management becomes unmanageable,” he said.
Ministers Chandrakant Patil and Madhuri Misal were also present at the event.
