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

The draft budget of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) for 2018-19 proposed and presented by municipal commissioner Kunal Kumar has laid out many projects, mostly citizen-friendly, for the city.

Circular metro corridor in pipeline 

PMC is planning an additional 40km-long Metro along with the existing two corridors in the city to connect the periphery areas. These proposed corridors would be circular to connect existing metro stations. Municipal commissioner Kunal Kumar said that along with Maha-Metro, PMC is checking the feasibility of this new corridor which would be circular.  The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has proposed the South to North and East to West routes in the city.

With the city’s urban topography in oval form, PMC is planning to connect the planned existing corridors by circular route. Commissioner said that PMC had already given funds to make the detailed project report (DPR) for the route between Swargate and Katraj. PMC is extending the Pimpri-Chinchwad to Swargate corridor till Katraj. PMC is also planning to connect the Metro from Katraj –Hadapsar- Ramwadi and again Katraj to Vanaz in a circular way. This corridor would be around 40km. The details are awaited and PMC and Maha-Metro are positive about the plan, Kumar said. Maha-Metro is executing the Vanaz to Ramwadi and Pimpri-Chinchwad to Swargate corridors. Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) has planned the corridor between Shivajinagar and Hinjewadi. 

 Riverfront development 

PMC is carrying out riverfront development for the 44km of river body passing through the city. With the help of Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA), PMC is developing the Mula and Mutha rivers. The commissioner said that with the help of irrigation department, PMC is marking the blue line and the red line, popularly known as flood line. Kumar said that at some places the government owned land is available on the riverside and the civic body plans to develop these lands on the lines of Ahmedabad as it will also be a revenue model. 

Digital Pune 

Giving priority to Digital Pune, ₹40 crore has been allocated in the budget to bring maximum facility on mobile and planning to introduce mobile governance in the city. There would be more interactive portals where citizens will be able to dialogue with the PMC administration. PMC has also planned to do digital literacy in the city. 

Priority to citizens’ expectations 

Kumar has tried to fulfil citizens’ expectation while preparing the annual draft budget. PMC had recently invited suggestions and expectations from the civic body and the government at the time of Smart City competition. More than one lakh citizens had participated in the survey. The citizens mainly identified traffic, water, garbage and housing problems in the city and urged PMC to give priority to these sectors. The commissioner said that 60 per cent of the proposed ₹5,397 crore budget would be spend on revenue expenditure which includes salaries. Hence, 40 per cent of the remaining amount is allocated for capital and development works. 

While planning capital works, PMC has given priority to those sectors which are identified by the citizens. PMC would be going to spend ₹915 crore on infrastructure to create traffic related facility which include footpaths and cycle tracks. A proposal to spend another ₹563 crore for sustainable transport which include improving PMPML service is also part of the draft budget. PMC has earmarked ₹492 for water related projects, including the 24x7 water scheme in the city. PMC is also trying to address environment and sustainable development issues by allocating ₹309 crore for the sector.  

Garbage projects on bonds or loan 

Kumar accepted that the existing garbage processing system is not foolproof as the contractors are cheating PMC. As per the existing system, the contractors are spending capital investment for erecting garbage processing plants and PMC is giving them tipping fee. These contracts are on for almost 30 years in which PMC is getting cheated.  Hence, PMC plans to set up plants and run it with the help of operators. The civic body is following the same model for its water treatment plants.Commissioner said that the PMC would need to spend money on these plants. If needed, the civic body will invite financial institutions or issue municipal bonds for raising funds. 

Startup Capital 

The municipal commissioner announced the ambitious project that aims to make Pune a startup capital. Kumar said that PMC with the help of Smart City is coming up with many innovative ideas to help the city’s startup ecosystem. Pune Smart City has formed the Pune Idea Factory Foundation (PIFF) which will only concentrate on startups. PIFF will also make the necessary policy to strengthen the city’s startup sector.