iParmar's River Residency Registered for 5 Star Green Rating with GRIHA

iParmar's River Residency, the iconic 34 acre integrated township in Chikhali, PCMC, scores another “First”.

It  is the first integrated township in PCMC to register for a 5 Star rating from GRIHA — Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment— the National Rating System for Green Buildings. This rating, based on a several criteria at the planning, construction and post-construction stages of a project, acknowledges the Environment Conservation and Energy Preservation initiatives which are an integral part of the project.

As per PCMC norms, this rating will also confer substantial Property Tax benefits to home owners in the project, resulting in significant savings year after year.

2011 was a year of highs for Pimpri-Chinchwad residents

For the 18 lakh residents of the industrial town of Pimpri-Chinchwad, 2011 was a year of highs on the development front. This year, many projects were either kicked off or taken to their logical end. As an icing on the cake, Pimpri-Chinchwad received the ‘Best City’ award from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, right at the end of the year. The award was bestowed on Pimpri-Chinchwad for its performance on JNNURM projects.

“To become the best city among 65 others is an achievement in itself. Even the state chief secretary joined us to receive the award from the Prime Minister,” said municipal commissioner Asheesh Sharma, whose every step is being watched closely by civic-conscious citizens. Little wonder then massive boards have sprung up congratulating him and mayor Yogesh Behl.

Sharma said except for the Pavana pipeline project, which is mired in controversy following protests by villagers from Maval taluka, most of the projects have been completed by the civic body. “The biggest achievement is on the sewerage front, where we are now able to treat cent per cent sewage. Once a couple of more STPs are operational, our capacity will go beyond 100 per cent,” he said. For the slum-dwellers too, there was a lot to cheer about as the PCMC doled out 1,200 flats under BSUP. “We will soon distribute 9,000 flats of the 18,000 planned,” Sharma said.

On the roads front, traffic at two key spots that had become major irritants is now smoother. Work on the Bhosari bridge, which had been limping for four years, was finally over and the bridge thrown open to the public in May. “Earlier, it took more than half-an-hour to cross a small stretch of road at Bhosari chowk. Now, you can cross the same area in a matter of seconds,” said Sachin Godambe, a resident of Dhavde Vasti, Bhosari.

Work on the bridge work at Chapekar chowk in Chinchwadgaon, started two years back, too was complete last month, ending another chronic traffic nightmare for residents. “Moving around in Chinchwad become less chaotic in a matter of few days,” said socialite Saroj Rao. The work on the bridges collective cost the PCMC around Rs 130 crore. In addition, work on Empire Estate chowk flyover and Dange chowk overbridge also started this year. The former will benefit Pune-Mumbai highway users while the latter will ease travel woes towards the Westerly bypass.

The process to set up the Moshi Industrial Convention centre also started this year. “This will be the biggest in Asia and spur industrial growth here,” said Sharma.

On the health front too, things improved. The PCMC began distributing health cards to citizens undergoing treatment at its hospitals. It is the brainchild of the civic chief, who has been insisting that patients should not be made to wait for treatment at civic hospitals. The plan for setting up a cancer screening centre has also moved forward this year. “This will probably be the first to be set up by a civic body in the country,” said Behl.

At YCMH — which caters to patients from five talukas — the pace of progress is in the fast lane. “Besides the health card, MRI scan facility and C-Arm facility started at YCMH. It is the first in Pune to have a casualty ward with 40 beds,” said YCMH superintendent Dr Anand Jagdale

Investing in Incredible Pune

India has witnessed major development and rapid transformation in the recent past, which is a proven advantage to the economy. This development has led to rising trends in lifestyle, purchasing power and property value.

The property market across the globe is at a low, with investments yielding between 2% to almost negative returns. The Indian real estate scenario, in contrast, is far more promising with an appreciation value anywhere between 25-40%. So, when it comes to investing in property, it comes as no surprise that many NRIs are now putting their money into India. In addition to making good business sense, their underlying emotional attachment to their home country makes it inevitable.

The appreciation of property values in cities like Pune, one of the fastest growing in India is valued at a minimum 7%, with its bordering cities and annexes, such as the twin townships of Pimpri-Chinchwad (PCMC), Chakan and Chikali growing at a whopping 30%. Driven by a number of factors, such as flourishing industry, a vibrant automobile, steel, IT and service sectors, the demand for housing continues to rise in PCMC, which boasts of state-of-the-art infrastructure. Chakan and Chikali are now commercial hubs with easy access and connectivity to Mumbai. Keeping this in mind iParmar’s River Residency has been designed and created to suit living and investing needs.

Whilst the rise in property values has seen a corresponding rise in the number of NRIs investing in Indian real estate, there are other contributing factors as well: Several Non Resident Indians plan to return to India in the future and purchasing property now just makes better sense. But it’s not only NRIs with plans to come home who are buying property; a large number of the Diaspora, are also emotionally tied to India, with family members still living here, and with e-solutions now easing the way, India’s property market is fast becoming part of its shining story.

As in every business decision, due diligence is a must, if one is to reap the many benefits of this burgeoning market. So, going with a reputed builder with an established track record is always recommended: Not only are you assured of a quality construction packed with modern amenities and specifications, you also get the peace of mind that comes with knowing you’ve spent your money wisely and well. 

Pimpri-Chinchwad receives three national awards

The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation received three awards under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) of the Union urban development ministry for being the

• Best city for 2011, 
• Best improvement in water supply and waste water sector and 
• Best city in effective enforcement of pro-poor awards.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh gave away the best city for 2011 award, while Union urban development minister Kamal Nath gave away the best city in effective enforcement of pro-poor scheme award. State chief secretary Ratnakar Gaikwad, Pimpri Chinchwad mayor Yogesh Behl and commissioner Ashish Sharma received the awards in New Delhi on Tuesday.

Pimpri Chinchwad is one among the 65 cities selected under the JNNURM scheme and, at present, 14 projects under its aegis are being implemented in the twin township. It is mandatory for all cities under JNNURM to execute approved projects and undertake reforms as per the tripartite agreement between the Union government, state government and the civic bodies to avail of the funds granted.

The best city for 2011 award consists of Rs 5 lakh, a memento and citation.

The civic body has laid water supply networks and built sewage treatment plants for which it has received the first prize in the category - improvement in water supply and waste water sector. The award consists of Rs 3 lakh, a memento and citation. The civic body has installed water meters, took efforts for equitable water distribution, started online bill payment system, call centre for complaints regarding water supply, reduced water leakages through supervisory control and data acquisition system and set up water treatment plants using advanced technology.

Also, the civic body has provided houses at low rates under the basic services to urban poor programme under the JNNURM. It has provided the urban poor with roads, water supply, drainage, solid waste management, education, health and medical services and facilities. The civic body has received best city in effective enforcement of pro-poor award that comprises Rs 3 lakh, a memento and citation.

PCMC to widen road stretch leading to Hinjewadi IT park

PUNE: The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) is planning to widen the 900-metre stretch of the road from Wakad chowk (on the Westerly bypass) to Shivaji chowk easing the traffic problems from Wakad to Hinjewadi IT Park.

The road stretch, which falls within the PCMC limits, is to be widened to 30 metre with six lanes at a cost of Rs 7.97 crore. The civic standing committee approved a resolution to this effect last week.

The PCMC has already planned a bus rapid transit system (BRTS) route reaching Wakad chowk from Kaspate Vasti. While the BRTS road up to Wakad chowk will be 45 metre wide, the 900-metre road ahead is to be widened to 30 metres. M T Kamble, joint city engineer, PCMC, said, "The civic body will not have to spend an additional amount on widening the stretch since it will be included in the works for the BRTS. The road widening will reduce traffic congestion and benefit residents of the twin township and other nearby areas.

The standing committee resolution states that social organizations, local corporators, traffic police and others have demanded that the road from Wakad chowk going to the IT park be widened to reduce traffic congestion and accidents.

A civic official said that the 30-metre-wide road will have six lanes. This road will be widened by another 15 metre in the second phase after the civic body gets possession of the necessary land. The road widening will be completed before the onset of monsoon next year, he added.

R B Nale, assistant police inspector, Hinjewadi traffic police chowkey, said, "The road from Wakad chowk on the westerly bypass near the flyover to Hinjewadi is unevenly wide. The vehicular traffic flow is very high from 8 am to 11 am when the IT employees from various parts of Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad go to their workplaces at the IT park. The bridge over the nullah is narrow from Wakad to Hinjewadi and is a bottleneck. The people from Pune city coming from Baner side use the road below the flyover while the people from Pimpri Chinchwad city use the flyover to go to the IT Park. As a result there is traffic congestion when the vehicles reach the bridge over the nullah. The traffic police alternately allow the traffic from the flyover and that below the flyover to proceed towards the nullah bridge."

Nale said, "Half of the road from Wakad chowk to Hinjewadi lies within the PCMC limits and the remaining half is in the possession of the Maharashtra Industries Development Corporation. The road needs to be widened by both the authorities to reduce the traffic congestion."

New Chakan airport gets Rs200 crore nod

The Union Ministry of Civil Aviation has sanctioned Rs200 crore for the proposed Chakan international airport, which will come up on a new 700-hectare site, adjacent to the previous one.

A 18-km metro railway corridor has also been proposed linking the airport to the international exhibition and convention centre in Moshi, said divisional commissioner, Dilip Band, on Thursday.

Addressing a press conference at the Pimpri Chinchwad New Township Development Authority (PCNTDA) office in Nigdi, he said, “The old site was scrapped due to farmers’ opposition, but there are no such hurdles at the new site. The project would require rehabilitation of only 80 households. The government will definitely offer more compensation to these families, as the project is extremely important for Pune,” he said.

With the development of the airport and the exhibition centre, the area will emerge as a major hub in the city.

There are 10,000 parking spaces available at the Moshi exhibition centre. Passengers can park their vehicles at the centre and can take the metro to the airport, Band said.

He added that the cost of the metro link would be borne by the PCNTDA and the Airports Authority of India. The PCNTDA will set up a special purpose vehicle for this venture.

PCNTDA approves 140 crore for the construction of the Pune International Exhibition and Convention Centre at Moshi

The Pimpri-Chinchwad New Township Development Authority (PCNTDA) has made a provision of Rs 140 crore for the construction of the Pune International Exhibition and Convention Centre at Moshi in its Rs 607.18 crore draft budget for 2011-12 which shows a surplus of Rs 205.77 crore.

Suhas Divse, chief executive officer (CEO), PCNTDA presented the draft budget to divisional commissioner Dilip Band, president of the PCNTDA and the PCNTDA committee on Monday. The draft budget has a provision of Rs 401.41 crore for expenditure.

The draft budget was approved after discussions.

The convention centre will be built on a 240-acre plot of land in sector 5 and 8 in Moshi. A SPV has been created for the project called PIECCL in which PCNTDA has 94 percent share.

Around Rs 400 crore will be spent on first phase of the construction. Divse said, "Bids will be invited for the exhibition and convention centre in two months."

The budget has a carry forward of Rs 342.85 crore from 2010-11. There is a provision of Rs 61.23 crore for revenue expenditure and Rs 340.17 crore for capital expenditure. A provision of Rs 118 crore has been made for various developmental projects and Rs 22.56 crore for administrative expenditure.

PCNTDA has made provision of Rs 6.70 crore for constructing a subway to connect sectors 28 to 29 near Akurdi railway station, Rs 25.50 crore for a flyover near Mercedes Benz plant in Chikhli, Rs 5.20 crore for a flyover at Kudalwadi and Rs 10.50 crore for a flyover at Kalewadi chowk on Aundh-Ravet road.

PCNTDA has made a provision of Rs 5 crore for constructing affordable houses for the low and middle- income groups at Sector 30.

"This project will be implemented on a 7.5 acre plot and PCNTDA plans to construct around 450 to 500 houses. We expect to start the construction of the project after three months," Divse said.

PCNTDA has made a provision of Rs 1.10 crore for fencing around the acquired land to prevent encroachments, Divse said. Provision has been made for putting up direction boards in the PCNTDA limits.

Pune-Nashik Road to be widened

To address the problems of growing traffic congestion in Chakan-Khed-Talegoan industrial areas, the state government has decided to initiate steps to widen the Pune-Nashik highway (NH 50).

According to the plan, the 30-km stretch between Nashik Phata and Rajgurunagar will be widened to six lanes from the existing four while the remaining stretch between Rajgurunagar and Nashik will be widened to four lanes from the existing two.

The public works department (PWD) recently called for a tender to appoint a consultant to prepare the detail project report (DPR) for six-laning of road.

An official from the department said once the DPR is ready, it will be sent to the state for approval. This will followed by inviting tenders for actual implementation of project. "The DPR will include conducting a details survey of the entire stretch from Nashik phata to Rajgurunagar, identification of areas required for acquisition to undertake the expansion of two additional lanes, preparation of estimates; and study of all other issues pertaining to expansion of the road," said the official.

The expansion becomes inevitable considering a significant increase in vehicular traffic, owing to newly-developed residential areas in Nashik phata-Chakan stretch and new industries coming up in Rajgurunagar and Chakan areas.

The expansion of Chakan MIDC has increased the traffic of heavy vehicles on this road.

Moreover, the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) had written to the government demanding widening of the Pune-Nahik highway to six-lane up to Moshi. The PCMC also has planned to construct flyovers to increase capacity and streamline road connectivity.

Besides six-laning of Nashik phata-Rajgurunagar stretch, the state also has taken steps for the four-laning of Rajgurunagar-Nashik stretch. The work to prepare a DPR of this allotted to the private contractor.

Currently, a four-lane road is operational on Pune-Nashik highway up to Rajgurunagar and two-lane road after that till Nashik.

Chandmal Parmar, road advisor, said, "Along with six-laning of Pune-Khed road of NH 50, the government also needs to initiate steps for six-laning of Talegaon-Chakan road, which is a direct connection to the Mumbai via expressway. Unless this road is not expanded to six lanes, heavy vehicles will have to travel either to Pune and then reach the expressway, or they will have to travel on the existing small road up to Talegaon."

Construction of Moshi convention centre to begin early 2012

The construction work of the International Convention and Exhibition Centre will begin at Moshi early 2012, said Pimpri Chinchwad municipal commissioner Ashish Sharma, after the inauguration of the sixth edition of the engineering expo at Autocluster in Chinchwad on Friday.

"We have a shortage of large exhibition venues in the country and there are large venues only at Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai. We are developing an international convention and exhibition centre at Moshi. The master plan is ready. We have invited bids for construction of the first phase of this project and hope to start construction of two exhibition halls and convention centre in the first phase by early 2012," Sharma said.

He said that the centre has the potential to become the biggest in Asia.

The Engineering Expo 2011 will be open to public till November 21. There are 225 stalls. Manufacturers of machines, tools and accessories; hydraulics and pneumatics and instrumentation, besides light and medium industries, IT products and services units, automation, electrical and electronics, material handling equipment and process plant machinery and equipment are participating in the expo.

R Bhaskar, plant head, commercial vehicle business unit, Tata Motors, said, "The growth of Indian economy depends, to a great extent, on the growth of the manufacturing sector. Moreover, India's growth has to cover all sections of the industry. Therefore, an event like the engineering expo not only gives manufacturers an opportunity to showcase their products, but also allow technology-related learning to be shared and transferred between all stakeholders."

RV Krishnan, chairman, Business Development Bureau (India) said, "If Maharashtra has to progress, one should demand abolition of octroi. The production process needs to be streamlined. Small and medium enterprises are the backbone of the industry. It's a shame that the industry did not take a stand on India Against Corruption and did not support Anna Hazare's movement."

News Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/Construction-of-Moshi-convention-centre-to-begin-early-2012/articleshow/10786649.cms

Flying Over Pimpri-Chinchwad

Soon, people will literally be flying over Pimpri-Chinchwad, once the network of flyovers, designed to crisscross this rapidly growing Twin City of Pune, are commissioned.

For decades, the main arterial road connecting Pune to Pimpri-Chinchwad was NH-4, the Pune-Mumbai Highway, running in a roughly South-East to North-West direction. The scenario changed dramatically with the arrival of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and the consequent Dehu Road-Katraj Westerly by-pass. Another arrival with just as far reaching effects, was the Rajiv Gandhi IT Park at Hinjewadi.The once sleepy Aundh Road and Baner Road became important routes to Hinjewadi and Pimpri-Chinchwad, and feeders to the by-pass; Aundh Road, in particular, grew into another major arterial road, parallel to the Pune-Mumbai Highway, significantly reducing the commuting time between the University Circle and the Western parts of Pimpri-Chinchwad, like Pimple Saudagar, Pimple Gurav, Thergaon and Wakad.

The traffic on this road at first multiplied, and soon grew exponentially, until the roads leading from Kalewadi, Thergaon and Dange Chowk running in a roughly South-North direction towards Pimpri and Chinchwad respectively became quagmires, threatening to sink under the sheer numbers of vehicles. Town Planners of PCMC and PCNTDA swung into action and drew up plans for road widening, and pivotally, for Flyovers.

The Nigdi Flyover was the first, on  the NH-4 from Akurdi towards Bhakti-Shakti Chowk, but the greatest influence on reducing traffic congestion in Pimpri-Chinchwad will certainly be those running perpendicular to the Pune-Mumbai Highway in a generally South-North direction

The South-North Flyovers

Chapekar Chowk
This 1.5 kilometer Flyover, scheduled to be open for traffic in November 2010, will ease the chaotic state of the road leading from Thergaon to the Chinchwad railway over bridge to the Pune-Mumbai Highway, as well as from Pradhikaran and the Pimpri-Chinchwad Link Road.
Bhosari
The 1,400-m Bhosari flyover on the Pune-Nashik highway which connects Pimpri-Chinchwad to Chakan,  opened for traffic in May, and it has already reduced travel time for commuters to Moshi, Chikhali, Chakan and beyond.
Empire Estate
The flyover near Empire Estate, on the old Pune-Mumbai highway, is part of the Kalewadi to Dehu-Alandi BRTS corridor. With a length of  1.9 km, this will become the longest Flyover in Pune District, while the width will be around 27 metres. It will have six lanes each 3.5 metres wide, including an exclusive lane in each direction for BRTS buses, a cycle track on both sides of the flyover, measuring 2.5 metres. And a 1.5 metre wide footpath.
The flyover will begin in Kalewadi and cross the Pavana river, Pimpri-Chinchwad link road, Pune-Lonavla railway line and the old Pune-Mumbai highway and end near the Auto Cluster in Chinchwad.
Nashik Phata
This is the first of its kind in Maharashtra, spanning a river, railway line and road, ‘Triple R’ as it is fondly referred to.It will be a boon to traffic from Wakad on the Expressway by-pass and the suburbs serviced by the Aundh-Ravet Road like Pimple Gurav and Kasarwadi going towards the Industrial hubs of Bhosari and Chakan, and onwards towards Nashik, and vice versa.
This two-tiered  1.1 kilometre long flyover will have  100-foot wide roads .It will span  first the Pavana River to the South, then the Pune- Mumbai railway line, and finally  the Pune-Mumbai Highway, onto the Pune- Nashik Highway.
More Flyovers in the pipeline
A few more Flyovers are on the drawing boards, at Dange Chowk and Kalewadi Phata on the Aundh-Ravet Road, and one at Kudalwadi junction, easing the traffic to Chikhali and the Dehu-Alandi Road.

Pimpri-Chinchwad —a Metropolis in the Making

Pimpri- Chinchwad has rapidly shaken off its image of being a predominantly industrial township, a mere adjunct to Pune, and now bids fair to becoming recognized as a fully developed city in its own right.
The metamorphosis has not been easy. Several decades of apathy, a laissez-faire attitude and inertia to change had to be overcome. And overcome, it did, thanks to several efficient town planners and administrators at both, the Pimpri-Chinchwad New Township Authority (PCNTDA) and the Pimpri- Chinchwad  Municipal Corporation ( PCMC ), backed to the hilt by the Government of Maharashtra.
Swept aside have been the narrow, potholed roads choked with smoke belching trucks and buses, shanty towns, open drains and malodorous swamps, breeding grounds for a host of diseases that are typical of most industrial townships. They have been replaced by broad, multi-lane paved roads, impressive flyovers, well maintained public parks, ample potable water storage and supply network and an effective drainage system.
If one were to compare Pimpri-Chinchwad with Pune, some of the statistics are quite astonishing. Pimpri-Chinchwad, with an area of 178 sq. km. has 630 km of roads, over 100 public gardens and only 69 designated slums, as compared to Pune which, in an  area of 244 sq.km. has 650 km of roads, 79 public gardens and 560 slums!
The results of the impressive infrastructure development speak for themselves. Where there were only a handful of large Indian manufacturing companies like Tata Motors, Bajaj Auto, Finolex, Garware and a few British, Swedish and German multi-nationals, there is now a proliferation of globally renowned IT companies,  and several   leading Indian Engineering and consumer durable manufacturing  companies… if one were to consider Chakan, which, though it lies outside the ambit of PCMC  is accessible through and is largely serviced by PCMC, then one would add the names of some of the world’s largest automobile manufacturers!
Scores of well designed housing complexes, offering a wide range of housing options  from modest single bedroom flats to palatial bungalows dot the skyline from Baner to Chikhali; PCMC is home to several fine campuses offering graduate and post-graduate education in virtually every discipline; not to be left behind are banks and financial institutions and high end health care units, as well as retail and entertainment malls.
The planned 240 acre International Exhibition & Convention Centre along the Pune-Nashik Highway is perhaps the finest signpost to this transformation of Pimpri-Chinchwad— truly a Metropolis in the Making.

Deer Safari Park coming to PCMC

Pune’s citizens will soon get a rare opportunity to go on a safari – without leaving the city! Talawade, a suburb in North-Western Pune, within Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s (PCMC) limits will soon home at a deer park, the first one of its kind in the country.

PCMC’s plans to develop a deer park at Talawade, received a boost after Deputy Chief Minister, Ajit Pawar directed officials concerned to ensure that the required land is transferred quickly.

The deer safari park will come up on 90 acres will become a natural habitat for deer species found in the Western Ghats. Unlike in a zoo, here the animals will roam freely whereas people will enjoy the sights from eco-friendly electric vehicles.

The park authorities will prohibit people from carrying packaged foods inside the park, ensuring there is no ugly litter of plastic or polythene wrappers, which are also highly dangerous to wild life.

The project will additionally include a garden designed along the lines of the Korakeun Garden in Japan. The Korakeun Garden, created circa 1700, is said to be one of the three great gardens of Japan.

Pimpri Chinchwad mayor, Yogesh Behl, who had recently been to Japan on an invitation by the government says, “We saw the Korakeun Garden there and have planned to make the garden here along the same lines, in addition to the deer park”.

A few officers working for the municipal corporation will also be deputed to Japan on a study tour of the garden.

 Anil Khaire, director of the PCMC-run Bahinabai Chaudhary zoo said, “The PCMC is awaiting the land for the deer park project. It will appoint a consultant to prepare a master plan for the project and later an architect will also be appointed.”

The PCMC has put up a polyhouse, planted trees and is creating water bodies on the land already in its possession, which is to be utilised for developing the deer park.

Talawade, hitherto known as an IT destination, will soon become better known by millions of delighted children and their parents as the home of Pune’s Deer Safari Park.