Pune's Proposed Convention Centre Sparks Citizen Outcry Over Urban Planning
The city of Pune is grappling with the severe impacts of relentless construction, including pervasive dust clouds, heavy vehicle traffic, depletion of green spaces, and strain on essential resources. Amid this urban turmoil, an ambitious proposal from the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to develop a convention centre—inspired by Delhi's Bharat Mandapam—on a vast 30-acre plot in Lohegaon has ignited strong opposition from citizens.
Citizen Concerns and Lack of Clarity
Although the project is in its initial stages, residents have voiced alarm over the potential stress it will place on civic infrastructure. The location, which encroaches on reserved amenity spaces, threatens to undermine the standard of living for locals. Citizens have also highlighted a significant lack of clarity regarding the project's specifics. PMC commissioner Naval Kishor Ram acknowledged to TOI that costs and finer details remain undetermined. Currently, it is only known that the centre will be modeled on the one in the capital, with its proximity to the airport cited as an advantage.
The first public hearing for suggestions and objections was held on January 27, attended by then-city chief engineer Prashant Waghmare. Urban policy planner Maulik Thakkar criticized the announcement, stating, "The convention centre will be a massive concrete block, resource and energy-intensive, at a time when the rest of the city is struggling for even basics. Once built, it will require year-round maintenance, burdening energy resources. Such large centres often lie unused half the time, yet must be maintained, making it a costly affair. We must question if this is truly needed."
Threats to Reserved Amenities
The proposed plot is reserved in the 2017 development plan (DP) for public amenities, including a hospital, school, playground, and garden. In a notification dated November 26, 2025, published on November 28, 2025, PMC proposed altering this reservation for the convention centre. Thakkar added, "There is no clarity on what will happen to these civic amenities once the reservation changes. Lohegaon is still developing, with new constructions daily, making a garden, school, and hospital essential. The loss of green cover and potential traffic chaos are additional concerns."
Importance of Reservations and Procedural Issues
Architect Sarang Yadwadkar, who filed objections at the hearing, emphasized, "The reservations in the 2017 DP exist for a reason. A dedicated parking space near the airport is crucial, as are other facilities. The AeroMall already blocks one access road, and changing reservations could render at least 100ft of road outside Puru Society useless, further hindering airport access. If PMC proceeds, it signals a collapse of urban planning."
Vivek Velankar, president of citizens' group Sajag Nagrik Manch, supported this view, noting that internal PMC departments confirmed the necessity of current reservations through RTI applications. "All reservations are essential for residents' quality of life. The area around the airport is congested, and the DP road is vital. These were planned years ago for future needs. Basics must be met first; a convention centre is not a priority," he stated.
Rohan Aaron, a Wagholi resident and civic activist, pointed out procedural lapses: "There is no proactive disclosure on PMC's website, and citizens had less than five working days' notice for the hearing. RTI and MRTP Act provisions require transparent public consultation, which was not followed. Removing hospital and green space reservations undermines public health and environmental laws, exacerbating pollution and climate issues."
Traffic and Infrastructure Challenges
Economist Ameet Singh warned of traffic catastrophes: "Building a centre this size could attract 40,000 to 1 lakh people. Traffic would bottleneck through Ramwadi, Yerawada Chowk, or Vimannagar, overwhelming already congested routes. With Pune airport planning to double flights, serving over 40,000 flyers daily, the strain will be immense."
Citizen Voices and Official Response
Former GST officer Rekha Joshi remarked, "PMC has only three hospitals for lakhs of citizens. The reserved hospital is crucial for quality, inexpensive medical services. Gardens are needed in congested areas like Vimannagar and Lohegaon. Why push this project when internal departments oppose it? Pune needs civic services for its growing population."
Qaneez Sukhrani, convenor of Vimannagar Citizens' Forum, added, "The hearing lacked a hybrid option, making it illegal. A detailed traffic study is required before deleting reservations, which has not been done. This proposal is immature and untenable."
PMC commissioner Naval Kishore Ram responded, "The proposal came from the state government. We followed due process with a notification and a hearing. All objections will be collated and sent to the state for review. It is private land, and nothing is decided. Civic amenity issues are city-wide, and we are working on basics regardless of this project."
