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• Maharashtra's Urban Development Department has directed PMRDA to prepare and implement its structure plan within the next 12–18 months.
• The move is aimed at resolving delays in development permissions that emerged after the earlier Development Plan process was scrapped.
• The proposed structure plan will provide a framework for land use, infrastructure planning and future growth across the Pune Metropolitan Region.
• Authorities expect the exercise to unlock pending approvals, improve planning certainty and support long-term urban expansion in the rapidly growing region.
The Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) has been instructed to accelerate the preparation of a comprehensive structure plan within the next 12 to 18 months, a move expected to address long-pending development approvals and provide a clear roadmap for future growth across the Pune Metropolitan Region.
The directive comes amid increasing concerns over delays in granting permissions for residential, commercial and infrastructure projects following the discontinuation of the earlier Development Plan process. In the absence of an approved planning framework, several proposals have remained in limbo, creating uncertainty for developers, landowners and investors operating within PMRDA's jurisdiction.
The proposed structure plan is expected to serve as the principal planning document guiding the region's long-term development. Unlike a conventional Development Plan, the structure plan will focus on broad land-use strategies, transportation networks, infrastructure requirements, environmental considerations and growth corridors across the metropolitan region. It is intended to provide a flexible yet coordinated framework for managing urban expansion while ensuring that infrastructure development keeps pace with population growth.
The Pune Metropolitan Region has emerged as one of India's fastest-growing urban centres, driven by strong demand from the manufacturing, information technology, logistics and residential sectors. Rapid urbanisation has significantly increased pressure on transport systems, housing supply and civic infrastructure, making long-term planning increasingly important.
Officials believe the preparation of a structure plan will help create greater clarity for future development while reducing administrative bottlenecks that have slowed project approvals. By establishing a defined planning framework, authorities aim to facilitate more efficient decision-making and improve coordination between multiple government agencies involved in urban development.
The initiative also aligns with broader efforts to modernise planning mechanisms in rapidly expanding metropolitan regions. Urban planners increasingly advocate structure-based planning approaches that focus on regional growth patterns rather than relying solely on detailed zoning frameworks. Such plans are designed to accommodate future changes while ensuring that infrastructure investments are aligned with projected development needs.
PMRDA has already initiated steps towards the preparation of the structure plan, including efforts to strengthen technical and planning capabilities. The authority has been working on building the expertise required for transportation planning, environmental assessment and integrated regional development, which are expected to form key components of the planning exercise.
Industry stakeholders have welcomed the move, noting that planning uncertainty has affected project timelines and investment decisions across parts of the metropolitan region. A clearly defined structure plan is expected to improve confidence among developers and provide greater predictability for future projects.
Once completed, the plan is expected to guide development across a vast region encompassing multiple municipalities, growth centres and rural areas surrounding Pune. Authorities view it as a critical step towards ensuring orderly urbanisation, supporting infrastructure expansion and creating a more coordinated framework for one of Maharashtra's most dynamic economic regions.
If implemented within the proposed timeline, the structure plan could play a pivotal role in unlocking stalled permissions while laying the foundation for sustainable and well-managed growth across the Pune Metropolitan Region.
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