Defence Ministry approves new road construction on CME Land

In a development welcomed by commuters, the Ministry of Defence has taken a significant step forward. It granted permission for the construction of a 12-meter-wide road on defence land that belongs to the College of Military Engineering (CME), as confirmed by officials from the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC).Under the ministry's approval, the PCMC has been granted authorisation to build a road spanning 12 meters in width and 4,000 meters in length on the defence land owned by the CME. This land is situated at survey numbers 690 and 249 in Bhosari, covering an area of 4,800 square meters and estimated to be valued at Rs 232.4 million.The proposed road holds significance as it will establish a crucial link between Suvidha Park, Bhosari, and the surrounding areas situated between the Pune-Nashik National Highway (NH) 60 and the Mumbai-Pune Highway. This connection will be established near the CME gate on the Pune side. The decision to grant permission for this road construction has been made on the basis of the principle of creating infrastructure of equal value (EVI).According to an official from the PCMC, the land's status as residential land has been affirmed by the approved development plan (DP) of the Pimpri-Chinchwad New Town Development Authority (PCNTDA). However, access to this road has been intermittently restricted by the CME since 2010 due to security concerns.Prasad Gaikwad, the deputy director of PCNTDA, explained that although the maintenance of the road falls under the responsibility of PCMC, the CME has consistently limited access due to security considerations. In 2021, during a meeting, defence authorities expressed their willingness to transfer the land to the PCMC. Subsequently, a proposal was sent to the Ministry of Defence, which has now granted its approval for the initiative, Gaikwad added.