vetal tekdi: On Vetal Tekdi, more than 1,000 protests against Pmc’s projects | Pune News
Pune: Over a thousand citizens gathered on Vetal Tekdi on Sunday to protest against a road traffic overhaul project that will involve the construction of surface roads and tunnels over and through the hill.
Protesters said the projects would disrupt the hill’s delicate ecosystem and destroy essential green cover. Environmental activists said the PMC traffic plan includes Balbharati Paud Phata Road surface road on Law College tekdi slope, HCMTR elevated road on Law College tekdi slope and two tunnels with exits at Sutardhara, Panchavati and Gokhalenagar.
Citizen activist Pradeep Ghumare said residents of areas expected to be immediately affected by the projects – Kothrud, Pashan, Baner – have also been joined by people from other areas including Kalyaninagar and Bavdhan.
Ghumare said: “People came with their families to the protest on Sunday. The idea is to reduce traffic congestion by building these roads and tunnels. But there will be no corresponding decrease in pollution. Indeed, the areas at the entrances and exits of the tunnels will see an increase in pollution as the emissions in the cavity move out and settle in these residential localities.
Sumita Kale of Bhandarkar Road said: “Building a flyover and demolishing it after a few years is one thing, but looking for such a short-term solution, which involves destroying a hill, is not acceptable. When roads are widened, they end up getting congested anyway due to double parking. The only solution is therefore to generalize the use of public transport.
Citizens said they would continue the protests through massive citywide awareness campaigns. Several prominent citizens’ groups have already pledged their support.
Praveen Kumar, founder of the Anandvan Foundation, which works to create urban forests, said building these new roads will save commuters minutes, but cost the city flora, fauna, open spaces and precious water resources.
“Citizens are unwilling to pay this price and for good reason. These projects will end up in a lose-lose situation for everyone,” Kumar said, adding that no one will benefit from the loss of natural heritage.
Sujit Patwardhan, founder and trustee of Parisar, an organization that campaigns for sustainable development, said the development plan (DP) adopted by the general body of PMC in 1987 classified all tekdis in and around Pune as areas of non-development, to compensate for the lack of open spaces in congested areas of the city such as the neighborhoods of Peth.
Patwardhan said: “According to their own DP, the implementation of these projects is illegal because no development work can be carried out in these areas. You also have to think about the fact that 35 years ago, a committee of professionals from various backgrounds met and agreed that the hills in and around the city should not be affected by construction. With substantial increases in population, vehicle numbers, urbanization and pollution, conserving these tekdis for the need of green cover and open space is even more important now.
Several citizens whom TOI spoke to said they support the idea of maximum conservation. “People are more aware of environmental issues today than they were 10 years ago. With such an intense manifestation of climate change that we are all experiencing right now, the only sensible thing to do is to preserve our natural resources and our green blanket,” said Pashan resident Shraddha Joshi who was part of the protest on Sunday. .
She added: “The citizens are what makes the city. Our welfare should be the top priority of any development plan. We will write to all civic authorities, in addition to participating in such demonstrations. »
Many protest attendees said the PMC should continue to improve last-mile connectivity with the metro.
A resident of Kothrud said: “What is the point of building such an expensive transport system? Can’t the subway help save a hill?
Another protester, a resident of Baner, said: “I have been coming to this tekdi since I was a child. This space is important to me and I will continue to protest against these half-baked short-term plans.
Protesters said the projects would disrupt the hill’s delicate ecosystem and destroy essential green cover. Environmental activists said the PMC traffic plan includes Balbharati Paud Phata Road surface road on Law College tekdi slope, HCMTR elevated road on Law College tekdi slope and two tunnels with exits at Sutardhara, Panchavati and Gokhalenagar.
Citizen activist Pradeep Ghumare said residents of areas expected to be immediately affected by the projects – Kothrud, Pashan, Baner – have also been joined by people from other areas including Kalyaninagar and Bavdhan.
Ghumare said: “People came with their families to the protest on Sunday. The idea is to reduce traffic congestion by building these roads and tunnels. But there will be no corresponding decrease in pollution. Indeed, the areas at the entrances and exits of the tunnels will see an increase in pollution as the emissions in the cavity move out and settle in these residential localities.
Sumita Kale of Bhandarkar Road said: “Building a flyover and demolishing it after a few years is one thing, but looking for such a short-term solution, which involves destroying a hill, is not acceptable. When roads are widened, they end up getting congested anyway due to double parking. The only solution is therefore to generalize the use of public transport.
Citizens said they would continue the protests through massive citywide awareness campaigns. Several prominent citizens’ groups have already pledged their support.
Praveen Kumar, founder of the Anandvan Foundation, which works to create urban forests, said building these new roads will save commuters minutes, but cost the city flora, fauna, open spaces and precious water resources.
“Citizens are unwilling to pay this price and for good reason. These projects will end up in a lose-lose situation for everyone,” Kumar said, adding that no one will benefit from the loss of natural heritage.
Sujit Patwardhan, founder and trustee of Parisar, an organization that campaigns for sustainable development, said the development plan (DP) adopted by the general body of PMC in 1987 classified all tekdis in and around Pune as areas of non-development, to compensate for the lack of open spaces in congested areas of the city such as the neighborhoods of Peth.
Patwardhan said: “According to their own DP, the implementation of these projects is illegal because no development work can be carried out in these areas. You also have to think about the fact that 35 years ago, a committee of professionals from various backgrounds met and agreed that the hills in and around the city should not be affected by construction. With substantial increases in population, vehicle numbers, urbanization and pollution, conserving these tekdis for the need of green cover and open space is even more important now.
Several citizens whom TOI spoke to said they support the idea of maximum conservation. “People are more aware of environmental issues today than they were 10 years ago. With such an intense manifestation of climate change that we are all experiencing right now, the only sensible thing to do is to preserve our natural resources and our green blanket,” said Pashan resident Shraddha Joshi who was part of the protest on Sunday. .
She added: “The citizens are what makes the city. Our welfare should be the top priority of any development plan. We will write to all civic authorities, in addition to participating in such demonstrations. »
Many protest attendees said the PMC should continue to improve last-mile connectivity with the metro.
A resident of Kothrud said: “What is the point of building such an expensive transport system? Can’t the subway help save a hill?
Another protester, a resident of Baner, said: “I have been coming to this tekdi since I was a child. This space is important to me and I will continue to protest against these half-baked short-term plans.