Undri Residents Win Battle To Reclaim Amenity Plot; PMC Agrees To Develop 'Sindoor Smriti Vatika' Urban Park

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has agreed to develop a long-neglected 3.123-acre amenity plot in Undri-Mohammadwadi into a modern urban public garden.

The decision came after regular follow-ups and relentless advocacy by local residents led by the Mohammadwadi–Undri Residents’ Welfare Development Foundation, who have been campaigning for months to reclaim the space from misuse and turn it into a green sanctuary named Sindoor Smriti Vatika.

The residents claim that this would bring the much-needed green lung for a rapidly growing suburb.

The designated land, approximately 12,635.86 square meters in size, is located in Survey Numbers 4 Part and 21 Part of Undri in Taluka Haveli. Residents say the area has suffered from the consequences of unchecked urban growth, lack of pedestrian infrastructure, and an alarming scarcity of public spaces. Despite rapid residential development, not a single public park exists in the locality.

“Undri Hill Top has seen massive urban expansion, but we still do not have a single safe place for our families to walk, jog, or gather as a community,” said Sunil Koloti, a senior representative of the Mohammadwadi–Undri Residents’ Welfare Development Foundation.

"The idea of Sindoor Smriti Vatika is not just about beautification; it is about reclaiming a space meant for the people, honouring our armed forces, and improving public safety. The area had recently witnessed a tragic incident where a former Armed Forces officer lost his life in a hit-and-run while walking along a roadside. This was an avoidable loss. We need parks, not just for recreation, but for basic safety," Koloti added.

The proposed park will serve over 20 housing societies represented by the foundation, benefiting thousands of citizens from all age groups and backgrounds.

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Dumping by private developers

"The amenity land owned by the PMC was until recently being misused as a dumping ground by private developers. Locals discovered the illegal activity during a community visit and were shocked to find mounds of cement-concrete waste, loose gravel, and debris strewn across the site. There was no fencing, no CCTV, no oversight. The land was being treated like a garbage pit," said Sunil Aiyer, another member of the residents’ welfare foundation.

"This is a violation of the Environmental Protection Act and reflects an extremely casual approach by the civic body toward land preservation," added Aiyer.

Residents promptly escalated the matter, demanding immediate cleanup, installation of security infrastructure including CCTV surveillance, and protection of the plot from further encroachment.

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Following a meeting with PMC Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram, the civic body gave positive assurance. "We are positively considering the proposal, and the residents have submitted their demands to the concerned department," the commissioner stated after the engagement.

While the development of Sindoor Smriti Vatika marks a victory, it also sheds light on other concerns raised by Undri residents regarding systematic encroachment and misuse of public amenity plots across Pune.

“Large amenity plots are the prime targets for influential builders because they can be locked away for 99 years under the guise of ‘leases,’ facilitated by entrenched connections within the PMC. This isn’t random; it’s a calculated strategy. Elected corporators, who are supposed to represent public interest, frequently operate as the visible agents for these builders. Their role is to ensure that such plots are quietly leased out instead of being developed for gardens, playgrounds, or community facilities as originally planned. In Undri–Mohammadwadi, the evidence is stark — not a single amenity space is listed on the PMC’s official website. The omission is no oversight — it’s the signature of a well-oiled nexus involving builders, corporators, and insiders in the civic administration. By erasing these plots from public records, they remove accountability and open the door for private appropriation of public assets. The result is that citizens are robbed twice over — first, of their legal right to public spaces, and second, of the transparency that should protect those rights. What should have been the beating heart of the community is instead being siphoned into the real estate market, one 99-year lease at a time,” said Sanmeet Tulsiana, resident of Undri.

Supporting these claims, Right to Information activists have also raised questions about the deliberate erasure of data related to amenity plots from the PMC's official digital records. Investigations reveal that the civic body’s website no longer displays critical information regarding reserved open spaces across city zones.

One RTI activist, who requested anonymity for safety reasons, commented that with the removal of public access to this data, the civic body is not just hiding information — it is undermining transparency and violating the public’s right to know. The activist added that this warrants a full-scale legal investigation.

Activists and residents are now demanding a formal legal probe into the alleged nexus of land misappropriation. They argue that without accountability and oversight, more public land will be lost to private interests, and the city’s green infrastructure will suffer irreparable damage.

"The PMC cannot treat citizens as mere taxpayers while denying them their basic rights to open space and a healthy urban environment. We urge the municipal commissioner and relevant authorities to not only deliver this garden, but also investigate the handling of all amenity plots across the city," Koloti added.

The residents’ welfare foundation’s proposal emphasises that Sindoor Smriti Vatika be developed as a model urban garden, complete with pedestrian-friendly paths, native tree plantations, open-air exercise areas, play zones, and provisions for senior citizens and children.

The park is envisioned as a living tribute to Operation Sindoor and the armed forces, celebrating their spirit of service and sacrifice. According to residents, such green initiatives not only enhance the quality of urban life but also help build a sense of community and national pride.