PUNE – The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) officially rescinded its proposed town planning (TP) schemes for Charholi this Wednesday. The decision was a direct consequence of a directive issued by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who urged the civic administration to abandon the plans in response to widespread public opposition.
Civic officials confirmed that the resolution to cancel the TP schemes was approved during a general body meeting, presided over by municipal commissioner and administrator Shekhar Singh. A PCMC official underscored the reasoning behind the reversal, stating, “Town planning schemes are intended for structured development. When the very landowners oppose it, it is not appropriate to proceed.”
During his visit to the city earlier this week, Chief Minister Fadnavis had stressed the importance of public trust in government projects. He affirmed that “the government will not implement any project without taking people into confidence.” He also highlighted the necessity of inclusive, long-term planning, particularly for a rapidly expanding urban center like Pimpri Chinchwad, where a 50-year developmental vision is crucial.
Local residents had consistently raised serious objections, contending that they had already sacrificed substantial portions of their land for various development initiatives under the existing Development Plan (DP). They feared that the newly proposed TP schemes would further diminish their landholdings. Local political figures echoed these concerns, pointing out that similar schemes elsewhere in the state had seen limited success and could potentially impede development progress in Charholi.
One resident noted that a revised draft of the DP for Pimpri Chinchwad has already been published, which reportedly includes provisions for various amenities within the Charholi and Chikahli areas, suggesting that a separate TP scheme might be redundant.
The PCMC had initially put forth five TP schemes for Charholi, collectively spanning over 1,425 hectares. This initial proposal was met with fierce resistance, including calls for a “bandh” (strike) and a dramatic protest where residents scaled a water tank. This strong public pushback initially compelled the civic body to temporarily halt the scheme. The persistent demand for a complete and permanent cancellation of the schemes ultimately led to Wednesday’s decisive announcement. In a related development, a similar TP scheme proposed for the Chikahli area, covering over 380 hectares, was also withdrawn due to resident opposition.
