The Panvel Municipal Corporation (PMC) has released a draft Development Plan (DP) under the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act, 1966. This new plan aims to shape the future of the region over the next 20 years. The draft covers 60.78 square kilometres of the total 110.06 square kilometres of area under the PMC.
Interestingly, 70% of the PMC area falls under the Navi Mumbai planning agency, CIDCO. The remaining area includes villages and older sections under the previous council. These areas have not progressed as much as the CIDCO nodes. The goal of DP is development in these areas.
The plan outlines the development of 29 villages with 629 reservations. The estimated cost for this is INR 7,358 crore. The PMC has deposits of more than INR 1,200 crore. The amount will help carry out these projects. By 2044, the region is expected to house 1.205 million people.
The DP proposes a network of infrastructure to support this growth. It includes an extensive road system, 42 schools within one kilometre of each village, and a Science and Exhibition Centre on 15 acres in New Panvel (West). The plan also includes parks and playgrounds at 145 sites, medical facilities at 47 locations, a solid waste management centre on 62 acres in Ghot Chawl, and five fire stations.
It should be noted that the draft DP was released less than five years after the PMC general body approved its preparation in September 2019. This is significant because the PMC was only formed in October 2016. In contrast, the nearby Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) took 30 years to prepare its DP in 2022.
This DP is particularly important due to ongoing major projects in the area. These include the Metro project, the Navi Mumbai International Airport, the Virar-Alibaug Corridor, and the NAINA area.
Former PMC commissioner Ganesh Deshmukh appointed full-time town planning staff and followed up continuously. A town planning officer for PMC was also appointed. On October 5, 2020, he presented the land use map for current use to the municipal commissioner.
The draft DP and its report were submitted for publishing on July 26, 2024. With the efforts of municipal commissioner Mangesh Chitale, the draft DP was approved by the special administrative general body on August 5 and published in the gazette on August 8.
The public has until September 8 to review the DP and provide feedback. Copies of the plan and its report are available at local government and municipal centres. The DP can also be purchased from the PMC website. After this period, the DP will be sent to the state government for final approval.
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