Pavana River Rejuvenation Project Gets SEIAA Nod

In a watershed moment for the region's ecology and urbanization, the Pimpri‑Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has finally received the much-delayed environmental clearance from the Maharashtra State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) for its ambitious ₹1,440 crore Pavana river restoration project  . It is a journey of ten years at last coming to fruition in the rejuvenation and resurrection of the river, which runs for over 24 km within the boundaries of the municipality.

The struggle for clearance

The Pavana river project proposal was initially submitted to the State Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC‑3) in December 2019. Although SEAC had initially given it approval in August 2023, the final approval by SEIAA was pending, waiting for multiple rounds of correction as demanded by the authority. The biggest stumbling block was introduced last year when SEIAA requested PCMC to incorporate meticulous hydrological and hydraulic modelling by Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS). After meticulous studies and submitting revised reports, the clearance finally came to PCMC – an exercise that took almost six years .

PCMC's Director of its environment department and City Engineer, Sanjay Kulkarni, was aware of the delay but remained hopeful. He added that only after complete funding by Central and State governments is secured, procurement and tendering will be undertaken.

Scope and significance of the project

The Pavana rejuvenation project involves a holistic approach to pollution control, flood prevention, ecological revival, and public beautification—the same that was adopted while building the Mula‑Mutha riverfront in Pune. According to Kulkarni, not only does the project aim to stop soil erosion and safeguard riverbanks but also promote bird habitats, increase aquatic life diversity, and improve the overall river and surrounding reservoir ecology .

A detailed project report (DPR) was done under the expertise of professionals. Supported by flood risk studies and pollution control provisions, the plan is founded on a river survey as a whole, the fulcrum upon which the environmental management plan  is hinged.

Interwoven riverfront initiatives

This clearance is part of increased river-centred activity here. PCMC had already commenced river rejuvenation work on the Sangvi Mula river. The steps, however, have not been sans controversy; environmental activists have accused the authorities of breaching rules and called for accountability. Agitations launched under the aegis of the Pune-PCMC River Revival group have placed these in the public eye ursed.

Meanwhile, PCMC had already secured a green go-ahead for the Indrayani river project last year. With the tenders floated out, construction is expected to begin soon .

Balancing development and environment

Riverfront and urban Maharashtra development has increasingly been at the center of controversies that are likely to anger environmentalists as well as citizens. Issues vary from ecological disruption and barring public process to poor pollution control measures. Beautification and flood control matter, but projects need to be done in a manner that maintains ecological balance and public health.

PCMC's greens have protested the loudest. Others have protested alleged violations in the current work being carried out on the Mula river bank, claiming that construction has taken place without adequate ecological precautions. The people's protests reflect the requirement for securing transparent implementation of projects through built-in monitoring and accountability.

Ahead: funding, implementation, and impact

With the receipt of SEIAA clearance, PCMC is now required to arrange finances from the Central sources under the National River Conservation Directorate and State government sources, prior to tendering for purchases. After tenders are awarded and contracts released, work on the Pavana riverfront will most probably be undertaken phase-wise—like the scheme for Mula and Indrayani river projects .

Well implemented, the Pavana rejuvenation project will give the river a new lease of life

•Wastewater treatment plants and pollution abatement facilities, possibly preventing urban-industrial runoff.

•Flood control measures like drainage and embankment restoration.

•Avian and aquatic environments, perhaps with increased ecological resistance.

•Public park and beautification areas with recreational use and public access.

But success will lie with careful monitoring, compliance with environmental norms, and senior-level interaction with local stakeholders, such as residents and activists. SEIAA clearance removes one of the principal bureaucratic impediments—but real impact will be a function of degree of implementation severity.

A turning point for river restoration?

The green light for Pavana’s rehabilitation may be a watershed moment for PCMC’s riverfront vision. With Indrayani’s groundwork underway and the Mula work in progress, Pavana’s project could close the loop on a comprehensive river restoration strategy across three key water bodies in the region.

This will put to the test whether PCMC is capable of fulfilling the vision of a cleaner and greener river landscape good for urban purpose without sacrificing environmental integrity. With funds and tenders now rolling in, the coming months will be scrutinized by policymakers, green activists, and citizens.