By Akash Pharande
Pune has a lot going for it – it has a strong industrial belt, is a major education hub and an important base for the armed forces, and is the second major IT destination of the country. In recent years, the Centre for American Entrepreneurship called it an ‘emerging global start-up hub.’ This growth in the start-up ecosystem is mostly led by Pune’s tech talent pool, Maharashtra’s innovation-friendly policies, and numerous other factors.
With an estimated population of 7.4 million as of 2020, the city has seen sustained migration of professionals over the last few years. No wonder, it has transitioned from a Pensioner’s Paradise into a vibrant economic hub close to the financial capital of India – Mumbai.
The city soon became known as one of the best places in India to live and work in. It was named India’s most livable city in the Ease of Living Index published by the ministry of housing and urban affairs (MoHUA) in both 2018 and 2019.
The Success Story Unravels
However, in the latest 2020 rankings, it slipped to the second position, being pipped by Bengaluru. The main factors responsible for this dip are unfavourable infrastructure, traffic congestion, and lack of planning within Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to support the ever-growing population. Bengaluru suffers many of the same problems, especially because the existing roads are unable to cope with the increasing vehicular traffic.
Pune’s problems with infrastructure are legendary. Urbanization puts tremendous strain on India’s primary cities, which are challenged by the constantly increasing population. When this problem had spun out of control, some of these cities added satellite cities which were designed to decongest the main cities. Some of them have managed to achieve this and have today emerged as superior alternatives to the parent cities.
International property consultants JLL came closer to the truth about livability with their 2017 report ‘Liveability Quotient – A Paradigm Shift in India’s Satellite Cities’. Pune’s satellite city Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) was one of the cities which this report examined.
The PCMC Difference
Formally launched in 1982, PCMC was created with one primary objective in mind – to administer to the civic and infrastructural needs of citizens.
Pune has a lot going for it – it has a strong industrial belt, is a major education hub and an important base for the armed forces, and is the second major IT destination of the country. In recent years, the Centre for American Entrepreneurship called it an ‘emerging global start-up hub.’ This growth in the start-up ecosystem is mostly led by Pune’s tech talent pool, Maharashtra’s innovation-friendly policies, and numerous other factors.
With an estimated population of 7.4 million as of 2020, the city has seen sustained migration of professionals over the last few years. No wonder, it has transitioned from a Pensioner’s Paradise into a vibrant economic hub close to the financial capital of India – Mumbai.
The city soon became known as one of the best places in India to live and work in. It was named India’s most livable city in the Ease of Living Index published by the ministry of housing and urban affairs (MoHUA) in both 2018 and 2019.
The Success Story Unravels
However, in the latest 2020 rankings, it slipped to the second position, being pipped by Bengaluru. The main factors responsible for this dip are unfavourable infrastructure, traffic congestion, and lack of planning within Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to support the ever-growing population. Bengaluru suffers many of the same problems, especially because the existing roads are unable to cope with the increasing vehicular traffic.
Pune’s problems with infrastructure are legendary. Urbanization puts tremendous strain on India’s primary cities, which are challenged by the constantly increasing population. When this problem had spun out of control, some of these cities added satellite cities which were designed to decongest the main cities. Some of them have managed to achieve this and have today emerged as superior alternatives to the parent cities.
International property consultants JLL came closer to the truth about livability with their 2017 report ‘Liveability Quotient – A Paradigm Shift in India’s Satellite Cities’. Pune’s satellite city Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) was one of the cities which this report examined.
The PCMC Difference
Formally launched in 1982, PCMC was created with one primary objective in mind – to administer to the civic and infrastructural needs of citizens.
*The Author is Managing Director, Pharande Spaces, a leading real estate construction and development firm known for its township properties in West Pune.
