Pune: The Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) has planned to bring 111 villages from Baramati taluka and 69 villages from Purandar taluka under its jurisdiction to ensure planned development around the proposed Purandar airport.A proposal was submitted earlier this week to the state urban development department, PMRDA officials said.The move follows deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar’s request to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to include both talukas under PMRDA’s planning framework. Barring the 180, the remaining villages in Baramati and Purandar are under the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation’s jurisdiction.PMRDA commissioner Yogesh Mhase confirmed the development. “The villages identified for inclusion are currently under the Pune collectorate. The idea is to ensure growth in and around Baramati and Purandar is managed in a coordinated manner, particularly with the upcoming airport,” he told TOI on Saturday.If approved, the addition of 180 villages will expand PMRDA’s jurisdiction from 697 to 877 villages, said town planning officials. These villages, located in the “influence area” of the airport, are currently not covered by any regional development plan, they said. “Once included, a separate authority like PMRDA can monitor construction, infrastructure, and land use, preventing haphazard growth,” an official said.At present, PMRDA covers 6,914 square km across nine talukas, including in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad. They are Maval, Mulshi, Haveli, Bhor, Daund, Shirur, Khed, Purandar, and Velhe. With a population of over 73 lakh, it is the largest planning authority in Maharashtra. The addition of Baramati would make it the 10th taluka under its ambit.Officials said Baramati witnessed rapid urbanisation in recent years, with growing demand for roads, housing layouts, and civic amenities while Purandar’s strategic location near the proposed international airport makes its inclusion equally significant. “These areas will see a spurt in land transactions, commercial hubs, and industrial units once the airport project takes off,” an official said.Bringing them under PMRDA will allow structured development rather than piecemeal growth, a senior planner said.A political observer said ahead of the civic polls, the move is also being viewed to strengthen Baramati’s development profile and ensure that it benefits from PMRDA’s sizeable financial reserves.Baramati resident Mohit Khade said as of now, the area already has planned development. “We are not sure how PMRDA can improve it further?” he said.For Baramati, inclusion under PMRDA would mean access to better planning and faster implementation of projects, addressing long-pending demands for improved connectivity. For Purandar, the timing is crucial, with the airport project expected to attract major investments and lead to population growth, said investors in the areas.Despite the proposal, officials stressed that the final decision rests with state govt. “The state cabinet will decide whether to approve the merger. Until then, these villages remain under the Pune collectorate,” a PMRDA official said.Currently, consent letters for land acquisition are being sought from farmers for the proposed Purandar airport.
