Pune District Administration to Frame SOP for RMC Plants in Three Weeks

Pune, May 9: Pune district administration will finalize an SOP for the RMC industry within three weeks to address pollution and traffic congestion. Interim restrictions on RMC vehicle movement are in place, with unrestricted movement allowed on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Interim Movement Restrictions

Under the temporary traffic management plan, RMC transport vehicles will be allowed unrestricted movement on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays, except in designated red-zone areas. On the remaining four days, movement will only be permitted between 11am and 5pm until the SOP is finalized. The decisions were taken following concerns that the rapidly expanding RMC sector was contributing to worsening air pollution, dust emissions and traffic problems in the Pune metropolitan region.

Mandatory Compliance Measures

The administration has made it mandatory for all RMC transport vehicles to display clear and visible nameplates and install cameras for monitoring and enforcement purposes. Operators will have to strictly comply with all prescribed rules. Authorised RMC plants complying with norms will be allowed to continue operations under prescribed conditions until the SOP is finalized.

SOP Development Process

The meeting was chaired by district collector Jitendra Dudi at the collector's office. The SOP will be jointly prepared through consultations involving the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA), Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad municipal corporations, police commissionerates and MPCB. The framework is expected to regulate operations of RMC plants and transportation while reducing their environmental impact.

Action Against Illegal Plants

Collector Dudi said strict action would be taken against illegal and unauthorised RMC plants, and such units would face closure. The SOP aims to address rising pollution and traffic congestion concerns caused by the rapidly expanding RMC sector across Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad.