Bombay HC asks PMC to remain present at next hearing over lack of basic infra in Keshavnagar

During the hearing on Thursday, no representative from the PMC was present. Hence, the court issued notice to the corporation

A Bombay High Court (HC) bench of chief justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and justice M M Sathaye has issued notice to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), directing it to remain present in court for the next hearing scheduled on November 11, 2024. The order comes in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the residents of Keshavnagar regarding the lack of basic infrastructure in the area.

The HC has issued notice to the PMC to remain present at the next hearing scheduled on November 11 as there was no PMC representative at the hearing on Thursday. (HT PHOTO)

The former sarpanch of Keshavnagar, Sandeep Lonkar, on behalf of the residents, had filed the PIL in August, requesting the court to direct the PMC to provide essential facilities to the residents of Keshavnagar. During the hearing on Thursday, no representative from the PMC was present. Hence, the court issued notice to the corporation.

Lonkar’s lawyer, advocate Yuvraj Narvankar, said, “The HC has issued notice to the PMC to remain present at the next hearing scheduled on November 11 as there was no PMC representative at the hearing on Thursday.”

Whereas the PMC’s chief legal officer, advocate Nisha Chavan, said, “We will present our side during the next hearing.”

In October 2017, Keshavnagar was merged with the PMC vide a government resolution (GR) for the inclusion of a total 11 villages in the PMC limits. However over a period of seven years, the merged villages have seen little or no development and are still lacking in basic infrastructure. In recent years, there has been an exponential rise in the population density of the region, not to mention a corresponding increase in large housing projects to accommodate the growing population. Currently, the population of Keshavnagar is around 100,000. Although the area is lacking in basic facilities, residents still have to pay huge taxes.

Lonkar said, “Keshavnagar is a suburb of Pune located on the outskirts of Pune, about eight kilometres east of the city centre. Keshavnagar is accessible to several renowned companies and establishments. Therefore, I filed a PIL for lack of basic amenities in the Keshav Nagar area. Despite its inclusion in the municipal limits of Pune city, the PMC has failed to provide even basic amenities to the residents. The PMC is granting construction permits to large-scale projects which will worsen an already collapsed system.”