Man who first proposed Balbharati-Paud Phata says PMC right in taking the proposal forward
Ramchandra Gohad who was the city town planner and incharge of the 1987 Development Plan (DP) had proposed the link road
At a time when environmentalists and local citizens up in arm against proposal to construct Balbharati-Paud Phata Link (BBPP), former urban and town planner of state planning department who first proposed the road has come forward insisting the Pune Municipal corporation (PMC) to take the project forward.
The proposed route is facing strong opposition from some citizens who held a protest march on Saturday.
Ramchandra Gohad who was the city town planner and incharge of the 1987 Development Plan (DP) had proposed the link road. In a letter to PMC commissioner written on March 28, Gohad stated that the civic body’s recent step to build the said project is correct from planning point of view.
The PMC had originally handed over the work of preparation of the sanctioned Development Plan of Pune in July 1966, and since it was due for revision, the proposal of the same was approved by the urban development Department of the state government.
“I was in charge of carrying out the entire work right from the existing land use survey. Hence, I am aware in detail the proposed,” said Gohad.
He further explained in the letter that traffic coming from Paud Road, NDA Road, Pashan Road and Westerly diversion were studied. To go to the Pashan-Aundh, Baner, Balewadi, Pimpiri-Chinchwad, Bhosari, Akurdi-Nigdi and MIDC area was also debated along with the geographical situation in the western part of Pune, where the hill protruding from Bavdhan, Kothrud, Pashan, and Shivaji Nagar posed the present problem of providing such link, Gohad stated.
He insisted that the only way therefore was through the tunnel from Pashan or the present Kothrud-Balbharati Road joining Senapati Bapat Road. The advisory committee approved the proposals of the said plan of Pune Metropolitan Region (PMR) to the extent of the PMC limit, in which this road was approved.
“There is a saddle point of the Kothrud hill and Erandwane, Shivajinagar hill on the foot hill by approaching the existing development in Kothrud, Erandawane and Shivajinagar area with little higher counter as it is proposed,” he said.
