State govt go-ahead for the merger of 11 villages in PMC

The Maharashtra government on Wednesday gave its nod to merge the 11 adjoining villages within the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and submitted an affidavit to the high court. The decision aims to provide better civic facilities to people living in these villages even as the civic administration will have to bear the additional financial responsibility. 

The merger would increase the area from 250.64 sq km to 331 sq km. Population of the 11 villages is 2.78 lakhs. 

With the state government sitting on the merger proposal since 2014, the high court directed the state to act after hearing the Public Interest Litigation filed by Haveli Taluka Nagrik Kruti Samitee. 

Following the HC order, the state government appointed a committee under the leadership of Pune guardian minister Girish Bapat that suggested the merger of 34 villages in a phase-wise manner. The state government considered the panel’s recommendation and took the decision to merge 11 villages and the rest in the next three years. 

Speaking to Hindustan Times, Pune municipal commissioner Kunal Kumar said, “PMC is yet to receive the detailed order but the civic body is expecting financial help from the state government for developing basic infrastructure in these areas.” 

PMC city engineer Prashant Waghmare said that the total area of these 11 villages is 80.70 sq km . With the state government going ahead with the merger of Uruli Devachi and Phursungi within PMC limits, the move will help solve the garbage issue as the civic body’s garbage depo is in these villages and PMC is spending huge amount of money for the development of these two villages.