PMRDA: Award-Winning PMRDA, But Poor Performance on Ground!

Pune | Special Correspondent : The Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA), which recently received accolades for “excellent performance,” is now facing strong criticism for its glaring inefficiency in executing the crucial Pavana and Indrayani River Rejuvenation Project — a key initiative for safeguarding public health and the environment in Pimpri-Chinchwad.

Despite the urgency of the project, PMRDA has failed to appoint a consultant even after four months. Shockingly, the tender process has had to be carried out not once or twice, but three times, with no concrete outcome. As a result, the river rejuvenation initiative, which was already under the scrutiny of environmentalists, has now become a symbol of administrative mismanagement and delay.

The Pavana and Indrayani rivers serve as lifelines for Pimpri-Chinchwad city, with drinking water supplied through dams built on these rivers. However, severe pollution within the PMRDA’s jurisdiction has rendered large stretches of these rivers unfit for human and ecological use. A joint project was therefore proposed by the state government, PMRDA, and the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation to clean and revive these rivers.

For the past 10 years, the river rejuvenation project has been stuck in bureaucratic red tape. With the new state government in place, there was hope that it would finally gain momentum. However, the inability of PMRDA to finalize a basic consultant appointment — despite three rounds of tenders — has raised serious concerns. While PMRDA is being honored with awards, its performance on this vital project has been labeled “deplorable” by environmental groups.

In the midst of all this, serious allegations have emerged regarding favoritism. It is claimed that the tender conditions were crafted to suit a specific company, effectively excluding other potential bidders. Despite multiple attempts, the same company emerges as the only eligible participant — clearly raising red flags. In fact, during the pre-bid meetings, several consulting firms openly expressed dissatisfaction over the opaque and seemingly biased process.

Stakeholders argue that the tender terms should be fair and flexible to allow for healthy competition and the participation of multiple qualified firms. Instead, the current process appears to be manipulated, giving undue advantage to one entity, thereby wasting time and jeopardizing the entire project.

Is PMRDA Endangering Public Lives?

The lack of urgency in implementing the Pavana and Indrayani river rejuvenation project has led to growing outrage. The delay in appointing a consultant, ongoing for over four months, and the apparent favoritism in the tendering process, suggest a serious lapse in governance. If the current trend continues, the people of Pimpri-Chinchwad may soon be paying the price for PMRDA’s administrative negligence.