CM ‘holds up’ Metro plan, says will resolve clash of views first

Fadnavis, addressing the media in Pune after meeting MLAs from Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad at the Council Hall, said, “The central government raised some issues about the proposal sent by the state government in the Pre-public Investment Board (PIB) meeting in October. We addressed those issues immediately. However, there are two divergent views about the project and we will be forming a studied opinion after talking to experts.”

Fadnavis assured them that the project will not be taken back to the drawing board but certain issues will have to sorted out in the existing plans.

The first phase of the project, Vanaz to Ramwadi, was sanctioned by the state government in 2012 and the proposal was sent to the central government.

Subsequently, a special purpose vehicle, Pune Metro Rail Corporation, was formed by PMC to implement the project. The first phase will be be an elevated stretch covering 15 stations and the cost of the project has been estimated at Rs 3,447 crore. The second phase from PCMC to Swargate has 9 elevated stations and 6 underground stations and the cost estimated is Rs 7,422 crore.

The Union Budget of 2013 had made a token provision for the project but no further allocations were made.

BJP MLA from Kothrud Medha Kulkarni said she and party MLA from Shivajinagar Vijay Kale and city MP Anil Shirole have been opposing the elevated metro project and batting for an underground track. “Also, the decision of granting an FSI of 4 along the metro corridor is not an acceptable option for us. On December 20 we will convene a meeting of all stakeholders in the city. People like industrialist Arun Firodia, activist Prashant Inamdar and others will be called to give their opinion,” she said. Kulkarni said the detailed project report will be tweaked to ensure there are no two views about the project.

Asked if that would mean a further delay in the project Kulkarni said even if it be so, it would be in the best interest of the city.
“We want a metro which will be world class and none destructive,” she said.