All PMC can do now is wait and watch

Although the Bombay High Court had rejected the plea filed by NGO Parisar against the construction on Mutha riverside road, the civic body will have to wait for two months before starting any construction work on the stretch.

Road blocked: NGO Parisar claims that the riverside road is adding to the air pollution. Vijay Paranjpe, one of the petitioners, refused to comment on their decision to challenge the High Court's verdict in the Supreme Court. File Pic

In its judgment, the High Court had asked PMC to wait for eight weeks, so that the petitioner get ample of time to approach the Supreme Court against its decision.

In 2000, Parisar had filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), following which the Pune District Court had imposed a ban on the construction of the road in 2008. Parisar claimed that the riverside road was adding to the air pollution.

The NGO had also asserted that there was no need for construction of Mutha riverside road, as the nearby NC Kelkar road had already been widened. But the ban on the controversial 4.1-km long road was lifted by the district court last year.

Speaking to MiD DAY, PMC Commissioner Mahesh Pathak said, "We can go ahead with stretching and widening the existing Mutha riverside road after two months. Till then we have no option but to wait."u00a0