News / Author / Abhay Khairnar

Abhay Khairnar

Articles by Abhay Khairnar

PMRDA budget 2018-19: Metro line gets Rs 888 crore, Rs 1,235 crore for ring road

Budget contains provisions of Rs 152 crore for Mhalunge–Maan township; Rs 99 crore for construction of roads and bridges; Rs 25 crore for Wagholi area water supply; and Rs 50 crore for the fire brigade.

PMRDA metropolitan commissioner Kiran Gitte said, “As the nod had been got for the budget, it will help boost the Hinjwadi Shivajinagar Metro, ring road, water supply and solid waste management projects, and fire brigade services in the region.”(HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Mar 26, 2018 09:24 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar, Pune

BJP U-turn gives Pune ‘free’ parking for 6 months

The parking policy was to come up before the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) general body for final approval on Friday, but the BJP’s sudden change of plan removed the need for the same.

Corporators give toy cars to Pune mayor and commissioner during the PMC general body meeting as part of their protest against the proposed new parking policy, on Friday.(Pratham Gokhale/HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Mar 23, 2018 11:22 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

Maha-Metro, PMRDA to have different Metro ticket fares

Maha-Metro is executing the Metro corridors between Shivshrusti (Chandni chowk) and Ramwadi and Pimpri Chinchwad and Swargate. PMRDA is executing the Metro corridor between Hinjewadi and Shivajinagar.

Earlier, the authorities were claiming that the ticket fare system for both Metro rails would be the same, but the PMRDA chief clarified that the fare of the corridor from Hinjewadi to Shivajinagar will be different from the other corridors.(HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Mar 23, 2018 02:58 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar, Pune

Evolution of a metropolitan city: Pune bosses on what the future holds

Pune municipal commissioner Kunal Kumar, district collector Saurabh Rao and Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority chief executive officer Kiran Gitte on how the city’s development plans will now progress

(From left) Saurabh Rao, Kunal Kumar, and Kiran Gitte spoke about the current issues of Pune and the city's way ahead.(Sanket Wankhade/HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Mar 23, 2018 03:23 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar, Pune

PMRDA chief on why town planning schemes are a win-win for everyone involved

Kiran Gitte, metropolitan commissioner of the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) speaks about the salient features of the proposed Mhalunge town planning scheme. Excerpts from his interview with Abhay Khairnar.

Kiran Gitte, PMRDA commissioner.(HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Mar 22, 2018 03:24 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

Pune’s Mhalunge town planning scheme to play ‘mentor’ for 46 upcoming towns near ring road project

Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority has proposed to lay out 46 more town planning schemes with Mhalunge township as the ‘mentor’; the new towns will be built 500 metres from proposed ring road

The schemes have been proposed to make the 128-km long ring road project self-sustainable with planned development alongside, said PMRDA officials. The new schemes will be built 500 metres from the proposed ring road.(HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Mar 22, 2018 04:19 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar, Pune:

Pune to get its new ‘parking policy’ soon

The proposal includes a minimum parking fee for two-wheelers of Rs 2 per hour while minimum parking fee for four-wheelers is Rs10 per hour.

Vehicles parked in No Parking zone on Parbhat road Lane no.1 in Pune.(Sanket Wankhade/HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Mar 21, 2018 04:09 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar, Pune:

Fadnavis instructs Pune BJP unit to hold meeting to discuss Bio Diversity Park issue

BJP leaders of the city claimed that the state government has not taken any final decision on the issue yet.

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had taken a decision in the year 2015 on BDP, with the state government issuing a notification saying that no construction will be allowed on the BDP land which mostly has green cover and is located at foothills.(HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Mar 15, 2018 03:20 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

Pune Mayor asks administration to recover cost for road digging from contractor

The municipal administration has issued orders to cancel the tender process for all the five roads.

Pune mayor Mukta Tilak said that the PMC would carry out tarring of the roads again and will recover the cost from the concerned contractor and officials.(HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Mar 13, 2018 09:15 PM IST

Hindustan Times,Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

Pune civic chief Kunal Kumar cancels cement-concrete road tenders

By considering the proposed ambitious 24x7 water supply project, the office of municipal commissioner had earlier issued a circular to road department and ward offices stating that roads less than 12 metres wide would not be concreted for three years.

The civic chief said that notices have been sent to the ward officers who had published tenders for road concretisation work.(HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Mar 12, 2018 10:34 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar, Pune

Pune municipal commissioner Kunal Kumar transferred; to join central government

Pune municipal commissioner Kunal Kumar will now join central government as the joint secretary of ministry of housing and urban affairs

After Srikar Pardeshi, Kunal Kumar is the second IAS officer from Pune to be moved to thee centre to man Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pet smart city project.(HT FILE PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Mar 08, 2018 01:04 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar, Pune

Central government approves Shivajinagar-Hinjewadi Metro corridor on PPP basis

State chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is being seen as the driving force behind the clearance for this Metro line happening on the fast track.

Pune’s Metro line 3 between Hinjewadi and Shivajinagar is 23.3 km in length and is expected to cost Rs.8,313 crore.(HT File Photo)

cities

Updated on Mar 09, 2018 03:23 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

Mula-Mutha reboot: 44 km of green riverbank free of any real estate in Pune

Speaking to media on Monday, Kumar detailed plans for the Mula-Mutha from the draft proposal citing 44 km as the length of the river front that will be developed, as against only 12 km that was developed for the Sabarmati project.

Current state of bridges and construction across Mula-Mutha(HT FILE PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Mar 06, 2018 02:57 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

NGOs and prominent citizens stand against government and PMC for anti-enviornment decisions, launch campaign

Residents, NGO’s unite and take to save city’s greenery

(From left to right) Anita Bennjer, Arun Firodia, Suresh Pingale, Anu Aga and Vandana Chavan at save Pune movement press conferance.(RAVINDRA JOSHI/HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Mar 03, 2018 03:10 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

PMC budget: Now, rainwater harvesting subsidy for housing societies

While the civic body already offers a property tax discount for societies undertaking rainwater harvesting, it is for the first time that the PMC has introduced a subsidy for the scheme, according to tanding committee chief Murlidhar Mohol.

One of the highlights of the budget was that the PMC administration did not propose any tax hikes this year and also declared a subsidy for housing societies in the city undertaking rainwater harvesting.(HT REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Feb 28, 2018 02:34 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar, Pune

Survey on current Maratha representation in Maharashtra government jobs launched

As per general administration department instructions, the urban development department has asked all urban bodies including municipal corporations and councils, to submit their data to the government on an urgent basis.

The government’s move to collect information about the community has come against the backdrop of the protest march carried out by the Marathas demanding reservations.(HT Representative Photo)

cities

Updated on Feb 27, 2018 03:11 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

Ruling BJP not in favor of Pune municipal corporation’s parking policy in its current form

The municipal commissioner had prepared the parking policy for the city and had proposed an increase in parking charges for two and four-wheelers.

BJP’s city unit president Yogesh Gogawale said that BJP is of the view that the common man mainly uses two-wheelers and without making the public transport good, it would be wrong to levy heavy parking fees. Two-wheeler parking at Lake Town, Katraj in Pune on Wednesday.(Rahul Raut/HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Feb 21, 2018 08:25 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar, Pune

Mumbai loses financial capital status in Fadnavis’s tenure, says former CM Prithviraj Chavan

Recently, UK-based Oxford Economics report pointed out that Mumbai was no more the financial capital of the country and that the centre is shifting to Gurugram and Delhi, said Chavan.

Former Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan.(HT File Photo)

cities

Updated on Feb 21, 2018 10:00 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

BJP just took one year to clear Metro project, says Pune BJP city unit president

Yogesh Gogawale claims that Bharatiya Janata Party has performed well in the first year of its leading Pune Municipal Corporation.

BJP Pune city unit president Yogesh Gogawale.(HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Feb 21, 2018 04:40 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

68 years of Pune Municipal Corporation: Civic history with a legacy of game-changing schemes

In the pre-independence era, the Pune Municipal Council had implemented an underground drainage system after taking a loan. Something similar is taking place today with the PMC having raised ₹200 crore through municipal bonds for the implementation of the 24x7 water supply scheme.

Pune Municipal Corporation building lit up on the eve of its 68th anniversary.(RAVINDRA JOSHI/HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Feb 15, 2018 04:02 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay khairnar

Finally, PMC’s 24x7 water supply project gets nod, L&T bags contract

Almost 90 per cent of the work has gone to L&T and Jain Irrigation will only implement one component of the project.

Pune will be the first metropolitan city in the country which will execute such a project on such a large scale.(Getty Images/iStockphoto)

cities

Updated on Feb 13, 2018 03:35 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

PMPML leadership change: How transience ruined service

When officers are transferred, their initiatives often die

The first managing director of PMPML, Subrao Patil, used to award residents who sent him pictures of PMPML buses violating traffic rules in a bid to improve the service.(SANKET WANKHADE/HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Feb 09, 2018 02:44 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

Line extension to bear Shiv Shrusthi name; Maha-Metro to bear all costs

Dixit said that Maha-Metro will now bear all the costs of the 2 km route extension. “There will also be two additional Metro stations, which will include one at Bhusari colony and the other at the Shiv Shrusti memorial.”

Brijesh Dixit during Multi model transportation integration and signing grant agreement between Maha Metro and SCE Singapore at Yashada in Pune.(HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Feb 07, 2018 02:40 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

Budget Expectations: 50 per cent of last budget allocation for Pune Metro spent; fresh capital inflows expected

This year, the Pune Metro project is expecting a budgetary provision of Rs 1,500 crore in the central government’s Union budget to be presented on February 1.

Maha-Metro is also expecting ₹1,300 crore as loan in the next fiscal.(HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Jan 31, 2018 09:24 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar, Pune

Political parties keep mum, make way for return of plot at Parvati

The plot , on survey number 120A, 120B and Town Planning Scheme 124/2, is located in front of Pu La Deshpande garden on Singhgad road. The elected members from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) put the proposal in front of the standing committee and requested to return the plot to the original owner.

The Pune Municipal Corporation had acquired the land at Parvati which is located on Survey Number 120 A, 120 B and 124/2 Town Planning scheme. The total land acquired in the year 1963 and total plot area was 27 acres. It was acquired for the purpose of rehabilitating brick kiln owners. Total 40 plots were allotted to the brick kiln owners.(Ravindra Joshi/HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Jan 30, 2018 02:51 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar, Pune

PMC to erect 25-km road using plastic waste mixture

Pune municipal commissioner Kunal Kumar said that the civic body has already carried out the pilot project of using mixture of plastic waste for road surfacing at at Navi Peth, Vimannagar and Koregaon Park.

cities

Updated on Jan 28, 2018 05:02 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

‘Pune Wi-Fi’ is your log in to free internet connectivity in the city from today

This log-in name is Pune Wi-Fi and an online censor is in place

Primarily, the free Wi-Fi is now available in and around major public gardens, hospitals and near police stations in Pune.(HT REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Jan 25, 2018 11:08 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

Pune Municipal Corporation to cover city under geographic information system

Residents will be able to get locations, facilities, basic services at one click while using app

Pune Municipal Corporation building in Pune.(HT FILE PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Jan 25, 2018 03:20 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

Pune’s parking policy proposal encourages public transport, moots for high rates

Pune Municipal Corporation has framed the parking policy for whole city and will forward it to the General Body for approval.

The rising number of vehicles would soon make parking a public nuisance issue. By considering this, the PMC parking policy aims to change the mindset of provision of parking.(HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Jan 24, 2018 11:03 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

PMC Draft Budget: Circular Metro, Digital Pune, Startup Capital, sustainable transport, and many more...

Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) draft budget 2018-19 has proposed many plans for the city

Pune municipal commissioner Kunal Kumar.(HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Jan 23, 2018 05:39 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

Copy

Whatsapp Twitter Facebook Linkedin

Abhay Khairnar

Budget contains provisions of Rs 152 crore for Mhalunge–Maan township; Rs 99 crore for construction of roads and bridges; Rs 25 crore for Wagholi area water supply; and Rs 50 crore for the fire brigade.

The parking policy was to come up before the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) general body for final approval on Friday, but the BJP’s sudden change of plan removed the need for the same.

Maha-Metro is executing the Metro corridors between Shivshrusti (Chandni chowk) and Ramwadi and Pimpri Chinchwad and Swargate. PMRDA is executing the Metro corridor between Hinjewadi and Shivajinagar.

Pune municipal commissioner Kunal Kumar, district collector Saurabh Rao and Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority chief executive officer Kiran Gitte on how the city’s development plans will now progress

Kiran Gitte, metropolitan commissioner of the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) speaks about the salient features of the proposed Mhalunge town planning scheme. Excerpts from his interview with Abhay Khairnar.

Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority has proposed to lay out 46 more town planning schemes with Mhalunge township as the ‘mentor’; the new towns will be built 500 metres from proposed ring road

The proposal includes a minimum parking fee for two-wheelers of Rs 2 per hour while minimum parking fee for four-wheelers is Rs10 per hour.

BJP leaders of the city claimed that the state government has not taken any final decision on the issue yet.

The municipal administration has issued orders to cancel the tender process for all the five roads.

By considering the proposed ambitious 24x7 water supply project, the office of municipal commissioner had earlier issued a circular to road department and ward offices stating that roads less than 12 metres wide would not be concreted for three years.

Pune municipal commissioner Kunal Kumar will now join central government as the joint secretary of ministry of housing and urban affairs

State chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is being seen as the driving force behind the clearance for this Metro line happening on the fast track.

Speaking to media on Monday, Kumar detailed plans for the Mula-Mutha from the draft proposal citing 44 km as the length of the river front that will be developed, as against only 12 km that was developed for the Sabarmati project.

Residents, NGO’s unite and take to save city’s greenery

While the civic body already offers a property tax discount for societies undertaking rainwater harvesting, it is for the first time that the PMC has introduced a subsidy for the scheme, according to tanding committee chief Murlidhar Mohol.

As per general administration department instructions, the urban development department has asked all urban bodies including municipal corporations and councils, to submit their data to the government on an urgent basis.

The municipal commissioner had prepared the parking policy for the city and had proposed an increase in parking charges for two and four-wheelers.

Recently, UK-based Oxford Economics report pointed out that Mumbai was no more the financial capital of the country and that the centre is shifting to Gurugram and Delhi, said Chavan.

Yogesh Gogawale claims that Bharatiya Janata Party has performed well in the first year of its leading Pune Municipal Corporation.

In the pre-independence era, the Pune Municipal Council had implemented an underground drainage system after taking a loan. Something similar is taking place today with the PMC having raised ₹200 crore through municipal bonds for the implementation of the 24x7 water supply scheme.

Almost 90 per cent of the work has gone to L&T and Jain Irrigation will only implement one component of the project.

When officers are transferred, their initiatives often die

Dixit said that Maha-Metro will now bear all the costs of the 2 km route extension. “There will also be two additional Metro stations, which will include one at Bhusari colony and the other at the Shiv Shrusti memorial.”

This year, the Pune Metro project is expecting a budgetary provision of Rs 1,500 crore in the central government’s Union budget to be presented on February 1.

Pune municipal commissioner Kunal Kumar said that the civic body has already carried out the pilot project of using mixture of plastic waste for road surfacing at at Navi Peth, Vimannagar and Koregaon Park.

This log-in name is Pune Wi-Fi and an online censor is in place

Residents will be able to get locations, facilities, basic services at one click while using app

Pune Municipal Corporation has framed the parking policy for whole city and will forward it to the General Body for approval.

Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) draft budget 2018-19 has proposed many plans for the city

Join Hindustan Times

Create free account and unlock exciting features like