Pune: The Pune district administration on Thursday announced that a standard operating procedure (SOP) for the ready-mix concrete (RMC) industry will be prepared within the next three weeks, while also imposing interim restrictions on the movement of RMC transport vehicles to tackle rising pollution and traffic congestion across Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad.
The decisions were taken at a high-level meeting chaired by district collector Jitendra Dudi at the collector's office following concerns that the rapidly expanding RMC sector was contributing to worsening air pollution, dust emissions and traffic problems in the Pune metropolitan region.
As part of the temporary traffic management plan, RMC transport vehicles will be allowed unrestricted movement on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays, except in designated red-zone areas identified by the administration. On the remaining four days, movement of RMC vehicles will only be permitted between 11am and 5pm until the SOP is finalised.
The administration also made it mandatory for all RMC transport vehicles to display clear and visible nameplates and install cameras for monitoring and enforcement purposes. Operators will have to strictly comply with all rules prescribed, officials said.
Collector Dudi said the SOP would be jointly prepared through consultations involving the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA), Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad municipal corporations, police commissionerates and MPCB. The framework is expected to regulate operations of RMC plants and transportation while reducing their environmental impact. He said authorised RMC plants complying with norms would be allowed to continue operations under prescribed conditions until the SOP is finalised. However, strict action would be taken against illegal and unauthorised RMC plants, and such units would face closure.
