Pune: On May 27, 2025, India’s Supreme Court agreed to hear a Special Leave Petition (SLP) contesting the Bombay High Court’s recent ruling that allowed the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to advance the disputed Balbharti-Paud Phata Road project. In response, the Supreme Court has issued notices to the PMC, the Maharashtra Government, and the Forest Department. The case is expected to be heard starting July, once the court resumes after its summer recess.
Back in February 2025, the Bombay High Court had passed a judgment on Public Interest Litigation (PIL) No. 14/2022, which permitted the PMC to carry forward the road construction on the condition that all necessary environmental and forest clearances were secured. The Supreme Court’s admission of the SLP now puts that decision under review.
The origins of the Balbharti-Paud Phata Road project date back to a 1996 resolution passed by the PMC’s General Body. However, this resolution was overturned by the Bombay High Court in 2016. Despite the court’s ruling, the project was later included in Pune’s Development Plan, which was approved by the Maharashtra state government in 2017.
The road project has faced sustained public opposition spanning more than four decades. A significant protest was held on April 15, 2023, when around 5,000 citizens of Pune braved heavy rainfall to demonstrate against the planned development.
