Undri to get its first public garden 9 yrs after merger with PMC

Pune: The fast-growing suburb of Undri is set to get its first public garden nine years after being merged within the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) limits, with the civic body initiating the process to develop a green space on a 12,635sqm amenity plot.Residents have repeatedly highlighted the lack of open spaces and recreational facilities in the locality and the demand for a public garden had been pending for several years. In 2025, the requirement gained urgency after a morning walker died in a road accident.In a letter issued to the Mohammadwadi-Undri Residents Welfare Development Foundation (MURWDF) on Tuesday, PMC garden department chief Ashok Ghorpade said a third-party agency had started to prepare the development plan for the proposed public garden. He told TOI that though Undri had merged with PMC in 2017, the absence of a development plan had delayed the creation of civic amenities."This will be PMC's first public garden in Undri. We are trying to complete the project at the earliest," he said.Ghorpade said development of a public garden usually takes around two years, but PMC was trying to expedite the process. "The project could not take off last year due to lack of budgetary allocations. Now, Rs50 lakh has been earmarked for civil projects. We are trying to undertake plantation and other works through corporate social responsibility initiatives, so that the garden is not delayed awaiting approval for additional funds," he added.Mohammadwadi-Undri residents' forum member Sunil Koloti said people had been asking for basic amenities ever since the area came under PMC limits."The demands became more aggressive after a morning walker lost his life in an accident, last year. Since there are no public gardens or proper footpaths, people are forced to walk on roads. Municipal commissioner Naval Kishore Ram had visited the area following the incident and agreed to develop a garden on the reserved amenity space," he said.Deepa Cheema, a resident of Nyati Estate and member of the residents' forum, said existing gardens inside housing societies were too small. "Many people are forced to walk on roads due to lack of proper public spaces, increasing the risk of accidents. Some societies do not even have gardens. Such a public amenity was needed," she said.Resident Colonel Pradeep Masand (retd) said the public garden had been among the residents' long-pending demands. "The garden is important especially for senior citizens, who are forced to walk on roads. We hope the PMC takes up the project on priority and completes it at the earliest," he added.