The state irrigation department has raised serious concerns over the ongoing Riverfront Development (RFD) project being executed along the Mula-Mutha river by the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal corporations. Officials have warned both civic bodies to strictly adhere to the terms of the no-objection certificate (NOC), which prohibits any alteration in the river’s cross-section or reduction in its carrying capacity. Despite these conditions, reports and citizen complaints suggest violations at multiple points such as Wakad, Vishal Nagar, Bund Garden, and the Ramnadi confluence, where debris dumping, riverbed excavation, and road construction within the river have been observed. The department has urged that the work be carried out using scientific methods with minimal ecological damage.
Adding to the controversy, a public interest litigation is currently being heard in the high court regarding the project’s impact, prompting the government to appoint a special committee to monitor the work and re-demarcate flood lines. The irrigation department has also issued a notice to PCMC for illegal debris dumping near the Pimple Nilakh crematorium. Experts and environmentalists argue that the fragmented handling of the project split between PMC and PCMC could lead to technical discrepancies and harm to the river’s biodiversity. While PCMC and PMC officials maintain they are following NOC norms, activists allege that public pressure and ecological concerns are being ignored.