Pune to cross 100 garden mark soon

Pune may take some time to become a high decibel IT destination like Bangalore but the city is close to have more gardens than the IT hub.

The city is going to cross the 100-garden mark soon. This makes it a serious contender of the 'city of gardens' title.

"Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has put forward a plan to develop around 35 gardens in addition to the existing 68," said Yashwant Khaire, garden superintendent, PMC.

"We plan to cover every corner of the city. The plan has been approved and we aim development of atleast 10 gardens every year. In other words, the plan is to achieve the target in next three to four years," said Khaire.

"Generally around Rs 25 lakh is required to develop 1 acre- garden. Every year PMC makes a provision of about Rs 7- 8 crore for development of gardens road beautification projects. This year, however, Rs 15 crore have been proposed in the PMC udget for this purpose," he informed.

"We also plan to develop the largest garden in Maharashtra. The proposed garden at 'Pachgaon Parvati' would be spread across 75 acre. We are in process of acquiring land for the project," said Khaire.

"We are also developing the country's first 'Palm Garden' on 12 acre at Yerawada is association with the Botanical Survey of India, Agharakar Institute (formerly known as Maharashtra Association of Cultivation Science) and Pune University's Science and Technology Park. We will grow about 70 species of Palm tress at the proposed ' Palm Garden'. Apart from recreation this garden will also provide academic facility to botany students. A Palm nursery is also planned along with the commercial trade of palm oil, " Khaire added.

The project requires an outlay of Rs 2.5 crore out of which Rs 75 lakh have been sanctioned in the PMC budget.

Apart from this, the department has chalked out a plan to renovate and beautify Pashan Lake.

"We are also creating a joggers' park at Mutha riverside; and acquired 2.25 acre land next to Ruby Hall Clinic. The gardening department is also planning to convert Kothrud Garbage Depot into a city garden," said Khaire.

The P L Deshpande garden developed by PMC in association with Okayama State (Japan) is getting an overwhelming response. An average of 2,000 people visit the garden daily. This garden alone is generating revenue worth Rs 10,000 a day in the form of entry fees.

"Second- phase development for this garden will start soon. We will develop a special ' Mughal Garden' in about 7 acre in association with the Jammu and Kashmir government. We have spent around Rs 2.5 crore for first-phase and have sanction Rs 2 crore for the second-phase," Khaire said.

"We will get an annual income of Rs 50 lakh in the form of entry fee. We are confident of chasing Bangalore at least in number of gardens in the next 5 years," Khaire said.