Pimpri-Chinchwad Housing Federation Opposes PCMC’s Plan To Lease Punawale School Land To Private Organisation

Pimpri-Chinchwad: The Pimpri-Chinchwad Co-operative Housing Societies Federation has strongly opposed a proposal to lease public land in Punawale to a private organisation for setting up a school.

In a letter addressed to the Commissioner of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), the federation demanded that the civic body itself build a modern school on the reserved plot instead of handing it over to a private entity.

What’s The Issue?

The objection letter, dated May 11, 2026, concerns a land parcel at Survey Nos. 38 (part) and 44 (part) in Punawale, measuring around 0.91 hectares or nearly 2.99 acres. According to the federation, the land is reserved for a secondary school in the Development Plan.

However, the PCMC is reportedly considering leasing the land to a private organisation for 30 years for approximately Rs 7 crore. The federation claimed the proposal is against public interest and could result in financial loss to the civic body.

Leasing This Property Is Not Justified…

In the letter, the federation chairman Sachin Londhe stated that the market value of the land is significantly higher and argued that leasing such valuable public property for a comparatively low amount is not justified.

The organisation also expressed concern that if the school is operated by a private developer, high fees may be charged, making education unaffordable for many middle-class and lower-income families in the area.

As an alternative, the federation urged the municipal corporation to follow the “Wakad model", referring to the civic body’s CBSE school project in Wakad, which they described as a successful example of quality education provided directly by the corporation.

Federation Put Forward Major Demands…

The letter further alleged that no discussions or consultations were held with local residents, parents or public representatives before moving ahead with the proposal. The federation questioned the transparency of the process and demanded that all details related to the tender process and financial valuation be made public.

The federation has put forward four major demands to the civic administration. It has sought immediate cancellation of the proposal to lease the land to a private organisation, construction of a state-of-the-art secondary or CBSE school through PCMC funds, disclosure of all tender and financial details, and organisation of a public hearing for local residents and parents.

The letter has been signed by federation chairman Sachin Londhe. Copies of the communication have also been sent to the chief minister's office, the mayor of PCMC and the divisional commissioner.