Pune: Following criticism, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has canceled its plan to plant decorative artificial trees on select roads as part of efforts to beautify the city during the upcoming G-20 meeting. The G-20 meeting is scheduled to be held in Pune on 16 and 17 January.

The PMC has been entrusted with the responsibility of improving the infrastructure and beautification of the city during the visit. This includes repair, cleaning and beautification of the routes where the delegates are likely to travel from Pune airport.

Trees were to be planted at these places

This includes Ganeshkhind Road, Senapati Bapat Road, Baner, Balewadi, Sinhagad Road and Mumbai-Bangalore Bypass roads. PMC chief engineer Srinivas Kandul said that there was a plan to plant trees with artificial lights along the road, but there is a lot of public opposition to spending money on artificial trees, so the PMC will not do it now.

Had to rent 100 artificial trees for Rs 20,000 per week

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had objected to the decision, saying the PMC administration was ignoring the deficit in green cover and was spending public money on artificial trees. The PMC was to hire 100 artificial trees for Rs 20,000 per week. This was part of the efforts to beautify the city during the visit of foreign delegates for the G-20 meeting. These were to be installed along the road from the airport to Senapati Bapat Road.