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Time of India
18 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
A year later, govt clears 4 of 6 town planning schemes proposed by PMRDA
Pune: The urban development department has cleared four of the six town planning schemes proposed more than one year ago by the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority, officials said on Saturday. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Of the remaining two, the proposal for Maan-Mhalunge — once showcased as a model scheme in 2018 — is still under assessment. The Manjari Khurd-Kolwadi scheme was rejected on technical grounds, particularly in plot demarcation, for which the proposal will have to be re-submitted after making the appropriate changes, a PMRDA official said. The four approved proposals —Autade Handewadi, two in Holkarwadi, and Vadachiwadi — will cover a combined area of nearly 520 hectares. The department is expected to issue a formal notification for the clearances along with a rejection notice for the Manjari proposal, which will span 233.35 hectares, next week. A senior PMRDA official expressed frustration at the prolonged delay in receiving the nod. "We have no idea why it took so long. These are growth centres and should have been cleared much earlier." The delay, he said, impacted the region's pace of development. These six schemes will collectively cover more than 1,000 hectares. Notably, the Maan-Mhalunge proposal, which will cover around 250 hectares, was initially cleared, but had to be revised and submitted again after plots were found to be marked on flood lines. With the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections last year, there was no significant movement on the proposals. However, the recent PMRDA budget included in principle approval for 15 additional TP schemes, signalling a renewed push for planned urban growth. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The schemes are strategically planned along the proposed 82-km ring road to enable organised development across 5,000 hectares in the Pune Metropolitan Region. Residents affected by the delay in implementation, such as Mohit Mehta from Manjari, voiced concerns. "If the scheme is rejected and must be re-submitted, then no project will begin this year. The land marked for development will remain in limbo," he said. In this scenario, builders too delay planning their projects, a Holkarwadi resident said. "If govt approves the scheme, it will benefit the area as infrastructure development can start and the ring road will ensure better connectivity," said a developer who plans to launch his project in Holkarwadi. Officials too warned that further delays in state clearance could stall the disbursement of Central infrastructure funds, thereby affecting project timelines. All the proposed TP schemes will be implemented on the Gujarat model, wherein landowners receive 50% of the developed land back. Central govt committed to funding Rs25 crore for each of these six schemes, while PMRDA allocated Rs125 crore from its own budget. The Vadachiwadi scheme will cover 134.79 hectares, Autade Handewadi 94.44 hectares, and the two Holkarwadi projects 158.19 hectares and 130.78 hectares, respectively.
Time of India
11-06-2025
- Time of India
Chirps & clicks: Gurgaon birders spot feathered friends
Gurgaon's birding community is out and about, with cameras in hand and eyes on the greens. Sarus cranes in the fields, pittas mid-flight and paradise flycatchers that live up to their name – here's a look at summer through the lens of the city's avid birdwatchers. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Summer breeding birds like Indian paradise flycatcher spotted at Bhondsi Nature Park (Pic: Mohit Mehta/ @indian_pitta on X) 'Nesting birds can be spotted during the summer months' About the birds that can be easily spotted during summer months, birder and avian photographer Mohit Mehta says, 'Indian pitta and Indian paradise flycatchers are summer-breeding birds which come to Bhondsi Nature Park for nesting. The male flycatchers have a long tail, making them beautiful to photograph. Chestnut-bellied sandgrouse camouflage themselves in agricultural fields and Jhanjhrola grassland is the best place to spot them. The tallest flying cranes – sarus crane – breed in Gurgaon and can be spotted in Chandu Budhera. It is also a good time to spot resident birds like the red avadavat.' Yellow-crowned woodpecker, a resident bird, can be spotted at Bhondsi Nature Park, Sultanpur National Park and Sakatpur; Sarus cranes are seen at Chandu Budhera (Pics: @indian_pitta on X) Nineteen-year-old birder Gurnoor Dhillon, who hosts bird walks in Gurgaon, says, 'The black-headed cuckooshrike's singing in the Aravalli region is a treat for bird enthusiasts. Three bee-eater species also arrive in NCR. The blue-tailed bee-eater are commonly spotted in Bhondsi and Mangar (Faridabad). The blue-cheeked bee-eater is seen along the water bodies like Najafgarh Jheel, Chandu, Surajpur. Jungle prinias start calling in summer and can be seen in Gurgaon's green belts. ' Indian golden oriole, Crested bunting, cuckoo shrike can be spotted these days (Pics: Gurnoor Dhillon) 'Birders should wear a cap and opt for light clothes to stay safe from the heat' Summer is a great time for birdwatching, but birders should take precautions to stay safe from the heat, says Pankaj Gupta, who is leading the Delhi Bird Atlas initiative. He says, 'Many resident birds are breeding now, and they look their best with bright and colourful feathers. Some summer visitors like the Indian paradise flycatcher, golden oriole and Indian pitta also arrive to breed. They are very beautiful and a photographers' muse. But, in order to remain safe from the heat, birders should wear a cap, opt for light clothes and stay hydrated.' Birder Ramveer recommends early morning birding, given the heat (Pics: @ramveer4019) Birding spots in Gurgaon Bhondsi Nature Park Chandu Budhera Aravalli Biodiversity Park Basai Wetland Damdama Lake Sultanpur National Park Sakatpur Birds spotted by Aaran Sharma
