PIMPRI CHINCHWAD: The civic body would not allow commercial establishments near the BRTS and Metro corridors to avoid congestions as well as accidents.
The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC)’s town planning director, Prakash Thakur, said, “There will be traffic congestion if there are commercial establishments. There should be houses on the corridors. The area should be highly densified and citizens should use public transport.”

The state government’s urban development department has prepared a policy under the Maharashtra Regional Town Planning Act, stating that showrooms and godowns should not be there along Pimpri Chinchwad’s BRTS and Metro corridors.

There is a 30-day time period for the public to object to the policy, issued on March 14, or give suggestions. The sanctioned modifications have been made available to the citizens in the municipal commissioner’s office.

The Metro and BRTS corridors in Pimpri Chinchwad include Sangvi-Kiwali Road, Nigdi to Dapodi Road on the Mumbai-Pune highway, Kalewadi Phata to Dehu Alandi Road, Nashik Phata to Moshi via Bhosari, Vishrantwadi to Alandi and Telco Road. PCMC is also proposing to develop the feeder bus routes from Mumbai-Pune Expressway to Bhakti Shakti Chowk in Nigdi, Hinjewadi IT Park to Talawde IT Park and Spine Road from Nigdi to Moshi.

If the area is more than 1,000sqm for the proposed corridor’s plots, 25% of the developed parking should be given to PCMC for free. The civic body will charge a premium if the area is less than 1,000sqm. The funds generated will be used for the corridors.

The state government’s notification stated that maximum care should be taken to avoid accidents on the BRTS corridors, grade separators should be adopted for pedestrians and if not available then zebra crossings should be provided with traffic constables, depending on the traffic volume. At least 200m on either sides of the corridors should be properly planned and an action plan should be prepared well in advance for these corridors. The service roads are a must too, the notification said.
All the buildings on the corridor should confirm to the provisions of the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act.