Pune Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram, who will soon complete one year in office, was at The Indian Express office for an interaction. The 2008-batch IAS officer from the Maharashtra cadre is no stranger to Pune, as he had previously held the position as its district collector from April 17, 2018, to July 28, 2020, and then went on to serve the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and the Ministry of Finance.Ajay Jadhav: You have been the district collector of Pune. After serving in PMO, you have come back to the city as the Commissioner of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC). What changes have you noticed during this period, and what are your plans for the city as a municipal commissioner, given that you will soon complete one year in office?Naval Kishore Ram: When I was the Collector, the management and organisation of the city seemed better than it is today. The administration was fast and proactive. In the years since, even with good administrators, day-to-day civic amenities have not been as good as they should have been.A major change has come in development and redevelopment policy. Pune’s average Floor Space Index (FSI) was 1.5 in 2020; it is now 4.5. In areas like Model Colony, which remain green and beautiful, there is now constant noise from redevelopment. It feels like living near a factory. This is happening across Pune, including the Peth areas.Infrastructure growth needs to be controlled. When development speeds up, other amenities like water supply, roads, and parking must grow at the same pace. Pune’s growth should not look like reckless expansion. We need disciplined growth and perhaps a city-specific policy.Ajay Jadhav: How is a specific Pune policy possible without ignoring UDCPR rules framed by the Maharashtra government? Will PMC seek an exemption?Naval Kishore Ram: No one should be opposed to development, but this is the time to regulate it. We must follow the Unified Development Control and Promotion Regulations (UDCPR) rules and regulate properly. The common perception is that the administration overlooks the interests of ordinary citizens. Our focus should be on making things easier for the common man. That needs to change.Story continues below this adManoj More: Supriya Sule has repeatedly said construction should be stopped.Naval Kishore Ram: I am not saying PMC should stop giving permissions. I am saying we must follow the rules strictly. We surveyed 1000 construction sites, and not a single one was following the guidelines. There are 13 rules meant to reduce air and noise pollution.In the 23 newly included villages, we may stop construction unless civic facilities are ready. We cannot allow unchecked growth without drainage, roads, or a water supply. At present, the water supply scheme is being implemented in only seven of the 23 villages. In places like Mohammadwadi and Undhri, people have faced water problems for 15 years. That cannot be repeated.Manoj More: But will PMC stop all constructions in the city if it cannot ensure roads, drainage, and parking?Story continues below this adNaval Kishore Ram: We cannot stop construction. UDCPR and other rules allow development and redevelopment. What is needed is strict adherence to the regulations. A blanket ban is not possible. But we will be far more careful and meticulous in sanctioning new projects.Sunanda Mehta: Redevelopment is happening widely in Pune, but basic infrastructure remains unchanged. How much is PMC involved? Are there set rules for redevelopment?Naval Kishore Ram: The contradiction is that where redevelopment is needed, it is not happening, and where it is not needed, it is happening. We have 50-60 old settlements and colonies with houses that can collapse any time, but redevelopment is not happening there. Instead, permissions are being given where it is commercially attractive.Redevelopment is allowed under UDCPR, though there are different restrictions and guidelines in the Peth areas.Story continues below this adOn average, buildings should be redeveloped after 30-40 years. But in some cases it happens in 10-15 years if a building becomes weak and is declared unstable after a structural audit. So it is subjective.I cannot sound too negative because every day I approve many proposals. My point is only that redevelopment needs to be controlled and regularised. Growth must be disciplined.Ajay Jadhav: How do you check a situation where one-storey houses are demolished and replaced by 10-storey buildings, while roads and drainage remain the same?Naval Kishore Ram: The PMC has to play a different role. If we follow the rules strictly, we cannot do much. So we have to look at this differently. For big projects, amenity space should also mean green space. Otherwise, the city will slowly become a fully paved area with no permeable space. Land is used for roads or buildings. Amenity space should be turned into gardens or green areas. This is a discretion we can use. Otherwise, clubs, schools, or hospitals commercialise the area, and the amenity part gets lost.Story continues below this adSoham Shah: Metro ridership is far below the projection, while Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Ltd (PMPML) is ignored. PMPML has 10 lakh riders, down from 12 lakh, and the metro has only 1.5 lakh. What do you say?Naval Kishore Ram: PMPML has definitely been ignored. The Chief Minister is keen to provide more buses to improve public transport. We are already adding 1,000 buses. At present, we have around 1,800 to 2,000 buses, but we need about 5,000 for a smooth service.Buses are useful because bus stops are accessible. In theory, 93% of people can catch a bus within 500 metres, but less than 20% actually use them. One reason is poor pedestrian walkability. Our system is largely designed for car owners. We are working to raise the fleet to 5,000 buses within 2-2.5 years.Sushant Kulkarni: Monsoon preparedness remains a concern. Every year, meetings are held, but the first heavy rain cripples the city. What needs to change?Story continues below this adNaval Kishore Ram: In the monsoon, first heavy rains clog cities everywhere. That is not an excuse. Road work, metro work, and other projects damage stormwater drains, and once they are blocked, the impact spreads.For example, on Ganeshkhind Road, metro work is going on on one side, and stormwater drainage is jammed on the other. This time, my focus will be on identifying inundation spots and fixing them properly.Road design is also a problem in some places. If water accumulates, it means there is no outlet. Roads should be designed so that water flows automatically into drains. Every year, there is a study, yet stormwater drainage in Pune is only 16 per cent, which is very low. We lack integrated planning for roads, drainage, stormwater, electricity poles, and water pipelines.Ajay Jadhav: We had good roads for the Pune Grand Tour route. Why can’t all roads in Pune be like that?Story continues below this adNaval Kishore Ram: The defect liability system for contractors has been wrongly framed. If roads are dug for cables or pipelines, contractors are relieved of responsibility. I want to change that. If a road has to be dug for an emergency, it must be done — but why should the contractor’s liability end? In my view, the contractor should maintain the road for 10 years.We are also trying to make agencies lay utility lines at the same time as road work, instead of later. The cycle rally roads looked good because we worked in mission mode, but that does not mean they will stay good after two months. In my budget, I have prioritised good integrated roads in the 23 villages, especially the most used and worst-condition roads. We have 33 missing road links, and 12 will be completed this year.Sushant Kulkarni: Is the PMC coordinating with Traffic Police for improving traffic situations?Naval Kishore Ram: We are working with the Traffic Police to address Pune’s traffic issues by improving road connectivity. Our target is to increase road coverage by 2 per cent. Only 9 per cent of the city area is under roads, among the lowest percentages in India.Story continues below this adWe spend Rs 4-5 crore every year on footpaths. I have allocated Rs 100 crore for footpath repairs, and you will see the effect. We need more walkability everywhere.Soham Shah: You had said earlier that you are not satisfied with the quality of education in PMC schools. What have you done to improve it?Naval Kishore Ram: It is very difficult to inspire and motivate education officers to do something innovative. In private schools, everything is glossy and beautiful, while government schools are in very poor condition. So we have taken up 75 schools and allocated Rs 2 to 2.5 crore to each for infrastructure. But infrastructure alone will not solve the problem.Our first focus is that schools should look good physically, and teachers’ training must be improved. PMC teachers are very politicised, and there is no transfer policy. I will be introducing a transfer policy for civic school teachers. We will not make them travel too much, but changing schools itself brings motivation.Dipanita Nath: The Riverfront Development has become a cause of concern to many environment-conscious people of Pune. What is your perspective?Naval Kishore Ram: I respect all environment-conscious people. Why should we think they are opposed to us? Unfortunately, in our city, development and sustainability have become two separate camps.As for the Riverfront Development (RFD), tell me any big city that does not want to beautify its river. Patna has become very beautiful after the building of ghats. In Pune, the riverfront has already been disturbed by people dumping debris. As for tree felling, wherever we can do the work without cutting trees, we will. Some trees are more than 100 years old, and it is not right to fell them. Also, people think the RFD is a money-making project. That is not true.Arul Horizon: A water tank was made six to eight years ago in Mohammadwadi, but it’s not in use. Builders are selling flats showing this water tank. So, how soon will the water be filled there?Naval Kishore Ram: Earlier, we had only 10 to 12 locations for water supply. An equitable water supply became necessary because we need more locations and stronger transmission and distribution networks. We have to build 82 new overhead tanks. Of these, 35 have been built, but only five are commissioned.Water should be available everywhere through smart metering. If we implement the Equitable Water Supply scheme in mission mode within six months, the city’s water situation will improve greatly. Water is the city’s biggest concern; roads come second. In the civic general body, water is the main issue discussed by corporators.Manoj More: Have you gone around the city, especially on the Pune-Mumbai highway at Patil Estate, where encroachers are calling the shots?Naval Kishore Ram: Yes, I have been to Patil Estate and experienced the hurdle to smooth traffic flow. This has been going on for years. We do have a plan to ease congestion and remove encroachers there. It will happen soon.Sunanda Mehta: What is the most difficult and the best thing about being the commissioner of Pune city?Naval Kishore Ram: I love living in Pune because there is positivity in the city. I have been to many cities and studied in Delhi, for which I feel nostalgia. But in Pune, despite all odds, people are very nice. They may be argumentative, even audacious, but deep down, they are good. The best thing about Pune is that people will criticise you, but they do not become your adversaries. The worst part is that some things you feel should happen in the city just don’t.