The forest department has refused permission to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to construct a development plan (DP) road through the Anandvan-6 urban forest in Mohammadwadi. The road was proposed as a solution to worsening traffic congestion in the NIBM Road–Undri belt.
Opposition from Residents
Earlier, residents of Mohammadwadi-Undri had strongly opposed PMC's plan for the proposed DP road, citing imminent environmental damage and various safety concerns. The road was intended to ease traffic flow from Undri to Kondhwa Road.
When contacted by TOI, Pune's chief conservator of forest (CCF) Ashish Thakare confirmed that the forest department has not granted any permission for the proposed DP road. He stated that his predecessor had already written to PMC requesting cancellation of the road proposal through Anandvan-6.
Environmental Impact
The urban forest has been nurtured over decades through soil enrichment using gliricidia and planting of indigenous species. It now supports a thriving ecosystem, including more than 20 bird species. Residents argue that a road through the forest would undo years of conservation efforts and bring traffic, noise, and pollution into one of the area's few surviving green spaces.
Bhupesh Sharma, co-founder of the Anandvan Foundation that maintains urban forests in the area, emphasized that constructing a road through the forest would be devastating to the local micro-biodiversity.
Legal and PMC Stance
PMC's road department head Rajesh Bankar confirmed that the matter had reached the Supreme Court, which rejected any construction on forest land. In April this year, PMC had proposed a DP road alignment through Clover Pinnacle and Pinnacle Ridge approach road to address traffic issues, but that was also opposed by residents on safety grounds.
While residents acknowledge that traffic congestion in the area has reached unsustainable levels, they insist that solutions must not compromise public safety or environmental assets. Parveen Tambe, co-founder of the NIBM–Undri Residents Forum, noted that the Pinnacle Ridge road alignment would channel more traffic through a hazardous stretch with a blind spot, increasing accident risks for pedestrians and motorists.
Call for Alternative Solutions
Resident Pranay Bhatia blamed years of unplanned growth for the current situation, stating that development permissions kept coming without adequate road planning. He urged PMC to find an option that reduces congestion without increasing accidents or destroying environmental conservation. With one proposed alignment opposed on safety grounds and another ruled out by the forest department, residents say PMC must find a third route that addresses traffic burden without sacrificing lives or the environment.
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