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Pune Municipal Corporation commissioner Naval Kishore Ram has called for stronger private participation in city development, citing the unsustainable revenue model of its properties. He explained that PMC spends INR 4,000 to maintain facilities but earns only INR 2,000, with auditorium rents set at just INR 1,000 despite daily maintenance costs of INR 2,000. Ram emphasised that hesitation to adopt PPP has left many reserved amenity lands unused or misused. He said private developers could create hospitals, schools, parking, and sports complexes on such sites. He also set a target of 75 km of quality road construction annually, with INR 200 crore recently sanctioned for repairs.
Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) commissioner Naval Kishore Ram has said that private participation is important for improving civic amenities and for better use of the city's properties and spaces. He made these remarks at the NAREDCO Pune Growth Conclave held this past week. Advertisement
Ram explained that PMC owns more than 1,000 properties, including large facilities such as auditoriums, but the current revenue model is weak. For example, people are charged only INR 1,000 to hold a programme at a civic auditorium, while the corporation spends nearly INR 2,000 per day on its upkeep. He added that for each such property PMC spends around INR 4,000, but receives only INR 2,000, which he said was unlike any other city.
He pointed out that PMC's revenue has not increased for years because of hesitation in adopting the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model. According to him, civic amenity spaces such as those reserved for hospitals, schools, sports complexes, and parking facilities are lying idle or turning into dumping spots. He said this has happened because PMC has avoided taking steps under PPP due to fear of corruption charges.
Ram stated that he intends to take bold steps by involving private developers in creating hospitals, schools, sports complexes, and parking facilities on these lands. He stressed that PMC may not always have the financial capacity to build such facilities, but private players can bring funds and share benefits with the corporation.
He described these as long-standing administrative problems that have remained unresolved for decades and urged the real estate sector to extend support. He added that if land is marked for a sports complex, it should either be developed by PMC itself or in partnership with private developers, with benefits shared between both.
Ram also outlined PMC's infrastructure targets. He said the corporation has set a goal of building around 75 kilometres of high-quality roads every year. As an example of durable construction, he referred to JM Road, which was built more than three decades ago and continues to remain free of cracks and potholes.
He further said PMC has already taken up about 75 kilometres of roadwork across the city. He informed that just two days earlier, INR 200 crore was allocated for pothole repairs, road reinstatement, and restoration of footpaths and dividers.
Source PTI
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