Pune Metro Project Affected Residents to Rehabilitate in 700 Ready Units

Pune Metro, an ambitious project by Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MahaMetro), is a joint venture by the State and central government of India to promote infrastructural development in Pune. This, in turn, will boost the real estate and employment sector in the city. But, this kind of development requires sufficient availability of space.

Space was readily available in some places while some areas need to be vacated to make way for development of Metro pillars. Most of the localities were covered by slums and so, the dwellers of these vacated areas were promised compensation by the government. The compensation would be in the form of either monetary gains or rehabilitation, which would be dependent upon the total number of displaced residents. In case of monetary compensation, the amount is said to be finalized based on the total number of people willing to opt for the same. This decision was based on mutual understanding between the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) and the residents.

As per a report by the Times of India (TOI), SRA officials confirmed that a meeting was held on Wednesday, 4^th of September, 2019’, to take decision about displaced dwellers and rehabilitation.

• Post-assessment, reportedly, over 1,000 slum dwellers need to be displaced over an earlier survey of 400 families. The expansion of Metro line was the primary reason for increase in number of families.
• Slums in areas like Kamgar Putala Vasahat, Rajiv Gandhi Vasahat and Juna Topkhana need to be vacated for the expansion of the Metro line.
• To overcome this shortcoming, reportedly, 700 tenements have been built in Lohegaon for families displaced by expansion of Metro line in Pune. These tenements have been developed by the SRA itself to safeguard the interests of the respective families.
• These newly built homes are said to be ready to move in within a period of a month or utmost by 45 days.
• Concerned officials of the SRA stated that the Pune collector official in accordance with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) and MahaMetro will together come up with a plan that will provide housing solution to nearly 1,000 affected families.
• The SRA spokesperson also said that the successful provision of rehabilitation is now the responsibility of the local authorities and officials. The duties of the local authorities and officials also include to ensure whether each displaced resident gets his/her due share of compensation.
• The SRA spokesperson also said, “the SRA is waiting for the local authorities’ response to the proposal. We are willing to handover these tenements for the rehabilitation programme.”
• The work for the proposed Metro line in the given areas will begin proceeding the rehabilitation of the people from, in and around the said pillars. PMRDA has already begun the development of Pune Metro Project on the pillars installed in Hinjewadi.
• The remaining pillars would be installed and the work will begin post the deal or the final agreement between PMRDA and concessionaire.

There are a total of three corridors that would be developed under the Pune Metro project. Line I, nearly 16.65 kilometres long, is said to run from Pimpri-Chinchwad to Swargate and will run across 15 other metro stations along the line. Line II, nearly 14.7 kilometres long, is said to run from Vanaz to Ramwadi (Wadgaon Sheri) and will run across 16 other metro station along its route.

Line III, connecting Hinjewadi to Swargate is nearly 23.3 kilometres along and will run across 23 metro stations along its route. It is considered to be one of the largest metro lines in Pune.

Line II is designed in a way that it will connect to both, Line I and Line III at Civil Court Station near Shivaji Nagar, Pune, which is planned as a multi-modal transport hub. Talking about Line II, it said to connect some of the key locations in Pune, namely, Vanaz Corner, Anand Nagar, Ideal Colony, Nal Stop, Deccan, J.M. Road, Civil Court, Pune Station, Bund Garden, Yerawada, Kalyani Nagar and Ramwadi.

The development of Metro Project in Pune is going to positively and negatively affect the real estate sector as well. Once the Metro Rail has been successfully implemented and will start running across the city, its impact will be felt significantly.