Pune: Bombay high court has directed issuing of notices to Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad municipal corporations and other respondents over the inordinate delay in commissioning a new bridge , connecting Baner-Balewadi areas with Wakad, across Mula river . Pune district collector, the town planning authority and urban development department are the other respondents in the PIL filed by residents of Wakad and Balewadi. It stated that the bridge has not been opened even six years after its completion.
Moreover, it has been over 10 years since the project was launched. The PIL sought direction from the HC for doing all that is necessary to open the bridge for public. Lawyer Satya Muley, representing the petitioners, said, “The matter was heard on Wednesday by the bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyay and Justice Amit Borkar.
The court took note of the grievance of residents and asked Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and other respondents to file an affidavit by Sept 30 when the matter is likely to be heard next.” Issues relating to acquisition of 15 guntha land on Balewadi side for an approach route to the bridge have stalled its use all these years despite more than Rs 30 crore having been spent so far on the project, jointly undertaken by PMC and Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation. “This reflects badly on the project proponents considering that a technical committee had made the project evaluation way back in 2003 and the acquisition issues ought to have been sor.