News / Author / Abhay Khairnar

Abhay Khairnar

Articles by Abhay Khairnar

PMC draft budget: 15% hike in property tax proposed; recession-hit realty sector plunge revenue target

The PMC had kept the target of Rs 1,165 crore from development charges, to be collected from the realty estate sector. However, PMC was able to get only Rs 339.88 crore till December end.

Municipal commissioner Kunal Kumar (right) on Monday presented the draft budget for 2018-19 and handed over it to the standing committee chairman Murlidhar Mohol (left).(HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Jan 22, 2018 10:13 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

Political parties lay siege to PMC ban on Shaniwarwada events

The commissioner’s decision came against the background of the recent Bhima Koregaon violence after investigative reports alleged misuse of the venue in the name of cultural programmes.

Shaniwarwada has traditionally been the showpiece venue for major events - political, social and cultural - in the city.(HT File Photo)

cities

Published on Jan 20, 2018 03:20 PM IST

Hindustn Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

Expanding Pune: How ready is PMC to uplift merged villages?

Inclusion of 11 new villages within PMC limits has accelerated the transformation of the city into a megapolis, but critical attention needs to be paid to developing infrastructure in the new areas

Aerial view of Ambegaon Khurd, one of the newly merged villages of PMC.(Sanket Wankhade/HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Jan 20, 2018 02:43 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar, Pune

PMC should ensure that in situ composting is done everywhere, says expert

The PMC has approved the public health and sanitation bye-laws 2017, which it will mainly execute with the help of SWaCH. Suchismita Pai, SWaCH Outreach, speaks more about these bye-laws.

Suchismita Pai, SWaCH Outreach.(HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Jan 18, 2018 02:52 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

Solid waste bye-laws:Will PMC be able to enforce fines or just collect user charges?

The PMC had framed the bye-laws to define various offences. The citizens who are violating the norms would be fined. For the first time, PMC has framed the terms of the violations and fixed specific fines which citizens will need to pay. It will be collected by PMC officials.

PMC hasn’t been able to fine people responsible for dumping debris on the riverbed and hence, many are of the opinion that the new rules by the PMC are toothless.(Pratham Gokhale/HT)

cities

Updated on Jan 18, 2018 02:56 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar, Pune

Maha-Metro to finalise loan for Pune Metro from European Investment Bank, French Development Bank

The discussions with these two agencies are in the last stage and once the representatives submit the report, Maha-Metro is likely to get the funds from them for executing the Metro project in the city.

Maha-Metro has already started the Metro work between Pimpri-Chinchwad and Range Hills as well as between Vanaz and Shivajingar Godown.(HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Jan 17, 2018 02:52 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar, Pune

CM bats for Hinjewadi Shivajingar Metro line in Pune; urges Centre to give priority

Fadnavis wrote a letter to the finance ministry and requested the Centre to give priority to the Hinjewadi-Shivajinagar route for which the state cabinet has given the nod on January 2.

PMRDA chief executive officer Kiran Gitte said that the proposal for the Hinjewadi to Shivajinagar Metro project has been submitted to the Centre.(HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Jan 10, 2018 04:01 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar, Pune

Pune’s footpaths get a welcome makeover

Following the guidelines of Urban Street Design, PMC has taken up projects to provide wider footpaths, cycle tracks and walkways in the city with JM road as the first in the plan.

The renovated footpath of Jungli Maharaj road in Pune sees residents from all walks of life using the place for relaxation.(HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Jan 06, 2018 05:28 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar and Prachi Bari

Finally, a consultant appointed for Pune’s river development project

Pune MP Anil Shirole said that the Centre has appointed a London-based consultant M/s Pell Frischmann for the river development project and has issued the letter for it.

Mula-Mutha river which passes through the city is one of the 302 polluted rivers of the country)(HT File Photo)

cities

Updated on Dec 21, 2017 02:50 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

Pune’s petrol pump owners decry PMC’s toilet initiative

The petrol pump owners opposed the municipal corporation’s orders and said it was not their responsibility to manage public toilets.

PMC recently issued a notice asking petrol pump owners to convert the lavatories to public toilets.(Rahul Raut/HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Dec 20, 2017 03:40 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

Green belt on Pune’s DP road under threat, says NCP leader

NCP leader alleges bid to promote commercial construction in the green zone

UDD issued a directive to the civic body to conduct a survey of the DP road recently.(Pratham Gokhale/HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Dec 16, 2017 11:44 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

University of Pune to establish Sai Baba Chair

According to SPPU officials, the decision to start the chair was taken following the request from the Saibaba Sansthan Trust Shirdi.

cities

Updated on Dec 15, 2017 02:42 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

Pune cycle plan gets the green signal

BJP gives go-ahead to the Rs 300 crore plan even as opposition blame PMC for not showing them the presentation of the plan

The plan proposes to construct cycle tracks of asphalt, followed by concrete as the most preferred surface material for cyclists.(HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Dec 15, 2017 05:40 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

Demand for public cycle sharing scheme increasing across Pune

Pune Smart City Development Corporation Ltd had launched the public bicycle sharing service on December 5 in the presence of Pune mayor Mukta Tilak, vice-chancellor Nitin Karmalkar and MLA Medha Kulkarni.

PSCDCL is planning to extend this service at more locations in Aundh area as there is a rising demand to start this scheme from the residents of the area.(RAHUL RAUT/HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Dec 14, 2017 03:38 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

Will the new hawkers’ policy make a mark in Pune?

Anti-encroachment department head Madhav Jagtap said that the PMC has established 288 hawker zones in the city to rehabilitate hawkers.

Hawkers on a footpath at Laxmi road in Pune on Tuesday. As per the Supreme Court’s order issued on September 2013, the civic administration has to allow all the vendors to do their business in the urban areas.(Rahul Raut/ HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Dec 12, 2017 11:18 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

Govt demands Rs 68 crore from seven Pune multiplexes

They have been accused of illegally collecting entertainment tax and not transferring it to the government; E-Square denies wrongdoing; City Pride to appeal in high court

cities

Updated on Dec 12, 2017 11:16 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar and Prachi Bari

State government mulls uniformity in Development Plans across cities

Presently, each municipal corporation and council has different Development Plans and different rules which result in considerable confusion among citizens and developers.

The Development Plan is mainly prepared by each municipal corporation in view of differences in the development control rules.(HT REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Dec 09, 2017 10:15 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar, Pune

Pune activists raise concern over PMPML bus burning incidents, blame administration for poor maintenance

On December 6, two PMPML buses caught fire, one each in Pimpri and near RTO area. The buses caught fire when they were moving.

On December 6, two PMPML buses caught fire, one each in Pimpri and near the regional transport office (RTO) area.(HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Dec 08, 2017 03:19 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

US-based firm to carry pre-feasibility study of Pune-Mumbai hyperloop corridor

The transport medium will allow 5,000 commuters to travel per hour at one direction and the speed of the vacuum tube is 1,000 km per hour.

cities

Published on Dec 06, 2017 04:07 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar, Pune

Centre approves ₹1,500 crore for Pune’s Ring Road project

With this, the PMRDA has floated a tender for the project.

Residents affected by the proposed Ring Road project in Pune had organised a one-day fast at Dr Babasaheb Amebedkar statue chowk, Pimpri on July 20, 2017.(HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Dec 05, 2017 11:28 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar, Pune

Can Pune city do without plastic bags?

CM’s decision to make the state plastic-free has once again brought the issue of widespread use of these carry bags in focus and its ill effect on environment

Residents continue to use plastic carry bags despite it being harmful to the environment. Lack of citizen participation was one of the main reasons why PMC’s plastic ban in 2010 failed.(Shankar Narayan/ HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Dec 06, 2017 02:31 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

Pune Marathon winners will get no prize money without AFI’s clearance, says Pune mayor

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), main sponsors of the prize money for the Pune International Marathon for the last few years confirmed to Hindustan Times that no money will be handed over to the organisers if there is no sanction by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI).

Speaking to Hindustan Times, Pune Mayor Mukta Tilak said, “PMC will not issue the money till everything is sort out. PMC will not give the prize money, but if the organisers get other sponsors they can give the prizes to the winners. ”(Sanket Wankhade/HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Dec 04, 2017 10:32 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar, Pune

Pune mayor may have to hang up her hat early as BJP may shorten tenure to allow more faces

As per the Municipal Corporation Act of 1888, the tenure of the mayor and the deputy mayor shall be of two and a half years but BJP is planning to give more members the chance to hold the post by giving a 15-month duration to each office-bearer.

Mukta Tilak - Pune mayor from BJP and three-time corporator and relative of Lokmanya Tilak.(HT FILE PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Nov 29, 2017 02:30 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar, Pune

Pune Smart City pitches for 60 electric buses under the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan 2020

Under the national mobility plan, selected cities can be eligible for a maximum of Rs 105 crore subsidy for electric buses and electric cars. The scheme, launched by the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprise, specifies a subsidy of Rs 1 crore for per bus.

cities

Updated on Nov 29, 2017 02:15 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar, Pune

GPS for garbage trucks, traffic mobility, battery-operated buses: Why is Pune not logging on to its Smart City plan?

14 projects inaugurated by PM Modi are yet to take off; CM Fadnavis unhappy with progress of Smart City projects in the city; Only ₹64 crore spent while ₹323 crore lies unused

Smart City road work in progress near Parihar chowk, Aundh, on November 27, 2017.(HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Nov 28, 2017 02:45 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

Allow construction in BDP zone, says Pune Guardian Minister; cites Mahabaleshwar pattern

In August 2015, the government had issued a notification stating that no construction would be allowed in the BDP. The state had, then, rejected the demand to allow constructions by land owners in BDP using 8% of plot area for residential purpose.

Girish Bapat, guardian minister.(HT FILE PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Nov 25, 2017 10:11 PM IST

Hindustna Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

Pune Municipal Corporation’s LED street light project under fire over tender process

Nagrik Chetna Manch allege that irregularities in project’s tender process could lead to ₹100-cr loss to PMC

Former standing committee chairman Vishal Tambe said that the contractor has only fit 40,000 LED street lights yet.(Sanket Wankhade/HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Nov 25, 2017 03:06 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar, Pune

Pune’s litter-free initiative may slap you with Rs 10,000 fine

Pune Municipal Corporation clears the proposal to penalise for various nuisances under Public Health and Sanitation Bye-laws 2017

Earlier, the Pune Municipal Corporation administration had proposed fines between Rs 5,000 and Rs1 lakh but the elected members brought down the amount from Rs 200-Rs 10,000.(REPRESENTATIONAL PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Nov 22, 2017 05:13 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

Shivaji Memorial issue: Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress warn to disrupt Metro work if CM doesn’t call for meeting

NCP, Shiv Sena and Congress are demanding to execute both Metro car shed and Shivaji memorial at the same place.

Maha-Metro has planned the car shed at 26-acre Kothrud garbage depot and Pune Municipal Corporation has also proposed the Shivaji memorial in the same area.(HT FILE PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Nov 22, 2017 03:19 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

PMC gives green signal for Pune Cycle Plan, 470-km of segregated tracks

The Centre had given ₹1 crore for preparing the detailed project report (DPR) for the cycle plan.

A cycle track created by PMC as part of Smart City project of the road connecting Bremon Square and Parihar Chowk, Aundh in Pune.(HT FILE PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Nov 22, 2017 02:48 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar

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Abhay Khairnar

The PMC had kept the target of Rs 1,165 crore from development charges, to be collected from the realty estate sector. However, PMC was able to get only Rs 339.88 crore till December end.

The commissioner’s decision came against the background of the recent Bhima Koregaon violence after investigative reports alleged misuse of the venue in the name of cultural programmes.

Inclusion of 11 new villages within PMC limits has accelerated the transformation of the city into a megapolis, but critical attention needs to be paid to developing infrastructure in the new areas

The PMC has approved the public health and sanitation bye-laws 2017, which it will mainly execute with the help of SWaCH. Suchismita Pai, SWaCH Outreach, speaks more about these bye-laws.

The PMC had framed the bye-laws to define various offences. The citizens who are violating the norms would be fined. For the first time, PMC has framed the terms of the violations and fixed specific fines which citizens will need to pay. It will be collected by PMC officials.

The discussions with these two agencies are in the last stage and once the representatives submit the report, Maha-Metro is likely to get the funds from them for executing the Metro project in the city.

Fadnavis wrote a letter to the finance ministry and requested the Centre to give priority to the Hinjewadi-Shivajinagar route for which the state cabinet has given the nod on January 2.

Following the guidelines of Urban Street Design, PMC has taken up projects to provide wider footpaths, cycle tracks and walkways in the city with JM road as the first in the plan.

Pune MP Anil Shirole said that the Centre has appointed a London-based consultant M/s Pell Frischmann for the river development project and has issued the letter for it.

The petrol pump owners opposed the municipal corporation’s orders and said it was not their responsibility to manage public toilets.

NCP leader alleges bid to promote commercial construction in the green zone

According to SPPU officials, the decision to start the chair was taken following the request from the Saibaba Sansthan Trust Shirdi.

BJP gives go-ahead to the Rs 300 crore plan even as opposition blame PMC for not showing them the presentation of the plan

Pune Smart City Development Corporation Ltd had launched the public bicycle sharing service on December 5 in the presence of Pune mayor Mukta Tilak, vice-chancellor Nitin Karmalkar and MLA Medha Kulkarni.

Anti-encroachment department head Madhav Jagtap said that the PMC has established 288 hawker zones in the city to rehabilitate hawkers.

They have been accused of illegally collecting entertainment tax and not transferring it to the government; E-Square denies wrongdoing; City Pride to appeal in high court

Presently, each municipal corporation and council has different Development Plans and different rules which result in considerable confusion among citizens and developers.

On December 6, two PMPML buses caught fire, one each in Pimpri and near RTO area. The buses caught fire when they were moving.

The transport medium will allow 5,000 commuters to travel per hour at one direction and the speed of the vacuum tube is 1,000 km per hour.

With this, the PMRDA has floated a tender for the project.

CM’s decision to make the state plastic-free has once again brought the issue of widespread use of these carry bags in focus and its ill effect on environment

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), main sponsors of the prize money for the Pune International Marathon for the last few years confirmed to Hindustan Times that no money will be handed over to the organisers if there is no sanction by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI).

As per the Municipal Corporation Act of 1888, the tenure of the mayor and the deputy mayor shall be of two and a half years but BJP is planning to give more members the chance to hold the post by giving a 15-month duration to each office-bearer.

Under the national mobility plan, selected cities can be eligible for a maximum of Rs 105 crore subsidy for electric buses and electric cars. The scheme, launched by the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprise, specifies a subsidy of Rs 1 crore for per bus.

14 projects inaugurated by PM Modi are yet to take off; CM Fadnavis unhappy with progress of Smart City projects in the city; Only ₹64 crore spent while ₹323 crore lies unused

In August 2015, the government had issued a notification stating that no construction would be allowed in the BDP. The state had, then, rejected the demand to allow constructions by land owners in BDP using 8% of plot area for residential purpose.

Nagrik Chetna Manch allege that irregularities in project’s tender process could lead to ₹100-cr loss to PMC

Pune Municipal Corporation clears the proposal to penalise for various nuisances under Public Health and Sanitation Bye-laws 2017

NCP, Shiv Sena and Congress are demanding to execute both Metro car shed and Shivaji memorial at the same place.

The Centre had given ₹1 crore for preparing the detailed project report (DPR) for the cycle plan.

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