PMC budget: No tax hike, 8 new flyovers and grade separators
The civic chief did not propose any tax hike, eight years in a row. Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) had last hiked property tax in 2016-17, and before that in 2010-11
Pune municipal commissioner Vikram Kumar on Thursday presented the annual civic budget of ₹11,601 crore for 2024-25, an increase of ₹2,086 crore than the previous year.
The civic chief did not propose any tax hike, eight years in a row. Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) had last hiked property tax in 2016-17, and before that in 2010-11.
The civic budget has crossed the ₹10,000-crore figure for the first time, with officials attributing it to new areas merged into the municipal limits in the past few years.
As Kumar has hiked the budget by ₹2,086 crore than previous year without proposing any new income source and no tax hike, question remains on how it would be achieved.
“The civic budget will help to improve the quality of life in the city through various projects. As the city’s population is estimated to touch 70 lakh, PMC has proposed various projects in the budget which will boost the infrastructure and cater to various needs,” Kumar said during his budget speech.
Like in the past, this year too, the municipal budget has proposal of eight new flyovers and grade separators. Kumar, in the efforts to reduce traffic congestion in the city, has proposed various measures to improve road network by connecting the 33 missing links, widening roads besides building new flyovers and grade separators.
Flyovers and grade separators
As per the proposal in the budget, PMC plans to build grade separator and flyover at Vishrantwadi; a grade separator or flyover at Shastrinagar Chowk; grade separator at Kharadi Bypass; flyover on railway line in Sasanenagar; railway underpass at Range Hills; flyover at Thackeray Chowk in Yerawada; flyover at Ambedkar Chowk on Alandi Road; and four flyovers or grade separators on Ganeshkhind Road.
At the same time, PMC is carrying out road widening on Ganeshkhind Road from RBI Bank at Sancheti Chowk. Already there are multiple roads being developed in the city on public private partnership (PPP) basis.
“We are hoping to get funds worth ₹2,000 crore from the state government for various projects which include flyovers and other infrastructure works,” the civic chief said.
He said PMC is not only concentrating on bringing down private vehicles, but also improving the public transport.
According to the budget details, PMC has made budgetary provisions to improve the road networks at the 23 merged villages.
Kumar said, “PMC has proposed flyovers, grade separators and underpasses. The civic body is planning to connect various missing links of roads, besides giving priority to improve the public transport and enhance metro network. At the same time, improving water treatment and sewage treatment plants to treat and reuse water is also the civic body’s priority.”
Works and departments
Water department: ₹584 crore
Municipal commissioner said, “The work of 24x7 water scheme started on ground in 2018 would get completed by the next financial year. PMC has laid 960km-long water pipelines and installed 1.45 lakh water meters till date. Our target is to lay another 300km-long water pipelines and complete the work of 70 water tanks and install one lakh more water meters by March 2025.”
Sewage management: ₹917 crore
PMC plans to upgrade its existing eight sewage treatment plants in the next financial year and erect new sewage lines on 80km area. The work of 11 new sewage treatment plants is under process with the help of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
Road department: ₹1,070 crore
Municipal commissioner had given priority to improve road network in the city to address the traffic problem. PMC had taken the project in hand to identify the missing links and connect it. The civic body identified 33 missing links. Once these roads would get completed, citizens would get various roads available to travel rather than coming to main roads. It will help to increase circular traffic movement in the city. PMC had already taken the road works on PPP model and 36-km stretch is already in progress. The civic administration is carrying out road widening of some stretches.
Solid waste management: ₹105 crore
PMC commissioner has allocated ₹105 crore to carry out capital works for solid waste management department. PMC planned to generate green hydrogen from garbage which would be country’s first project. Even implementing water to energy project at Ramtekdi.
