The proposed Mula-Mutha Riverfront Development Project (RFD) in Pune is making headlines again as trees planted near the river belt and soil kept for filling the underway embankments were swept away due to the floods on July 25.
Environmental activists demand the scrapping of the RFD project, claiming that the concretisation of the riverbank has led to increased floods, while authorities insist the project will help control floods.
Activists speak up
RTI activist Vijay Kumbhar, speaking to the Free Press Journal, said, "The riverfront development project has certainly contributed to the flood situation in Pune city. The project's aim should be to benefit the citizens. Due to ongoing projects, a small canal has been closed. When starting such projects, citizens' opinions are important. The government is making a smart city, yet there is no official X account for the Pune Collector. How will citizens get updates from the Pune collectorate? People could not get any official updates on social media. This situation is not new; every year, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) officials are criticised by residents for negligence, but the situation remains the same. Every year, around 10-15 people lose their lives due to negligence alone."
'RFD is a destructive project'
Activist Sarang Yadhvadhkar pointed out the current situation in the city, where heavy rains submerged it in water. "The RFD is a destructive project, affecting biodiversity and depleting groundwater. Due to construction near the riverbed, the rivers have become narrow. When water from major dams like Khadakwasla is released into these rivers, they start overflowing, creating floods. Only one lakh cusecs of water was released, which led to the flood. The construction of embankments has decreased the cross-sectional area of the river, which is the main cause of the floods. We never heard of floods in Pune until recent years, mainly because of the RFD."
"Arrogance of the authorities, apathy on the part of the citizens, and violation of the national green tribunal are all we got while raising our concerns regarding the project," added Yadhvadhkar.
Activist Nulkar Gurudas said, "The soil gets washed away in the floods, and in the future, when the project is completely over, it will certainly lead to flooding as they have narrowed down the river. It's ironic that the authorities are spending Rs 400 crore on beautification of the river, while half of Pune's population does not have clean drinking water and has to rely on tankers."
Administration denies the role of project in flooding
According to the PMC, the RFD project, conceptualised in 2015-16, spans 44.4 km—22.2 km along the Mula River, 10.4 km along the Mutha River, and 11.8 km along the confluence of both rivers. The project is divided into multiple stretches, with two along the confluence currently being developed. Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the Rs 5,500-crore project.
In response to allegations from civic activists that the ongoing riverfront development (RFD) project contributed to the flooding of the Mutha River, Deputy Chief Minister and Pune Guardian Minister Ajit Pawar dismissed these claims. During his visit to the city on Thursday, Pawar attributed the flooding to record rainfall within a short period in and around Pune.
Following this, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) took to its official X (formerly known as Twitter) handle to clarify the situation. The PMC stated that despite the heavy rains on July 25, the Mula-Mutha River remained within its normal flow range. To support their claim, the civic body shared images of the river at the Ganesh Ghat location in Yerwada, where a sample stretch of the riverfront development project has been completed.
