PCMC will decide on 234 acres on Saturday

PUNE: Over 234 acres of land in the green zone, meant for agriculture, in the fringe areas of Pimpri-Chinchwad near Moshi is all set to become residential, if the general body and the state government approve a proposal mooted by the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation.

The proposal was recently approved by the PCMC's law committee. It says that the use of 95 hectares of land at Chikhli Borhadewadi in Moshi should be modified from green zone to residential zone. It will be discussed at the general body meeting on Saturday.

The land was earlier in the 1995 development plan of the Pimpri-Chinchwad New Township Development Authority (PCNTDA). Some areas of the development plan were later brought under the development control regulations of the municipal corporation. The 234 acres of land is also under the development control regulations.

Avinash Patil, deputy director of town planning, PCMC said that the land use was being changed to prevent encroachments on it. "The change in zoning will happen only after the general body approves the proposal. The state government's approval will also be needed," he said.

The civic body will first undertake a land-use survey, and prepare a map considering the reservations. It will then plan new roads in the area.

Suggestions and objections from citizens as per the Maharashtra Regional Town Planning Act for changing the zone of the land will be invited.