Pune: The historic wadas of Pune, emblematic of the city’s Peshwa-era architecture and cultural richness, are reportedly facing increasing threats of demolition. Built during the 18th century, these heritage structures once defined the city’s urban identity. However, many now risk being wiped out due to alleged negligence and questionable redevelopment strategies by concerned authorities.
In a move that has sparked public outcry, the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) has been accused of attempting to classify heritage wadas within the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) limits as slums. This classification would allow redevelopment under the Slum Rehabilitation Scheme. A recent newspaper notice by the SRA has further intensified concerns among conservationists and civic activists.
A citizens’ group named Aaple Pune, supported by former opposition leader Ujjwal Keskar, Suhas Kulkarni, and former corporator Prashant Badhe, has raised alarms about a specific project on Laxmi Road. They allege that this wada is being wrongfully marked as a slum to extract Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) and increased Floor Space Index (FSI) benefits — a move they claim is part of a larger scam estimated at around Rs 450 crore.
According to former PMC Commissioner Kunal Kumar, earlier efforts were made to halt such classifications. He noted that the SRA had been soliciting brief reports from regional offices to support slum declarations, which then enabled developers to bypass compensation to residents while enjoying large-scale TDR incentives. Despite directives to pause such schemes, the SRA continued to push these proposals, raising concerns about procedural lapses.
Keskar has accused current SRA CEO Nilesh Gatne of continuing the project despite the prior stay order and has demanded his immediate removal. Activists have expressed fears that the SRA is no longer functioning within its original mandate of slum redevelopment but has instead become a tool for transforming historic structures into commercial projects.
Several former corporators and activists allege a nexus between PMC engineers and private builders. They claim that ward-level reports — often influenced by developer interests — are being misused to label heritage sites as slums. Vikram Kumar, another former civic chief, had also attempted to block these practices, but according to Keskar, the efforts continue unchecked.
The activists argue that without strict oversight, architects and engineers could file slum-like assessments for heritage buildings, which not only leads to the destruction of Pune’s cultural legacy but also deprives the municipal body of substantial development charges. The cumulative financial loss due to such practices — if extrapolated to all 20,000 wadas across the old city’s peth areas — could allegedly amount to a staggering Rs 50,000 crore scam.
They have now urged the current Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram to strictly enforce a rule that no engineer or architect may issue such reports without direct and written consent from the top.
In response, SRA CEO Nilesh Gatne dismissed the allegations, stating that the redevelopment project in question has been initiated with the PMC’s full consent. He clarified that the site under scrutiny — located near the City Post Office — does not contain any wada structures. The proposal was submitted by developer Vishal Dhanwade and is still in its preliminary stages.
“All concerns and suggestions raised in response to the public notice will be thoroughly examined before any final decision is made,” Gatne assured.
As the debate intensifies, Pune’s citizens and heritage activists are urging authorities to act responsibly, ensuring that redevelopment does not come at the cost of erasing the city’s living history.
