Pune Metro Rail Project

In August 2020, the EIB Group Complaints Mechanism (EIB-CM) received a complaint from Indian nationals (hereinafter ‘’the complainants’’) concerning the Pune Metro Rail Project in India.

The EIB-CM carried out an initial assessment of the concerns raised by the complainants with regard to the compliance of the project with EIB standards 1, 3 and 9, and the due diligence and monitoring of environmental impacts referred to by the complainants.

In regard to the allegation on the non-compliance of the Project with Standards 1 and 3 and the EIB’s due diligence and monitoring of the project’s relevant impacts, the EIB-CM finds the allegation to be grounded. The EIB-CM recommends the EIB services to engage with the Promoter in order to ensure that the ESIA is promptly updated to adequately reflect and address current and expected loss in biodiversity and consequences associated to that including erosion and increased vulnerability of the river system.

In regard to the allegation on the non-compliance of the Project with Standards 1 and 9 and the EIB’s due diligence and monitoring of the project’s relevant impacts, the EIB-CM finds the allegation to be ungrounded. Whereas the project’s potential impact on community health and safety deserves the attention of the Promoter and of the EIB, the EIB-CM suggests that the EIB competent services:

i)                    keep closely monitoring the ongoing judicial proceeding before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in the light of their review of the conformity of the operation with EIB relevant standards,

ii)                   engage with the Promoter in order to ensure that the Promoter:

a.                   adequately addresses flood risks related to the metro piers construction within the Prohibitive Zone in the ESIA based on the CPWRS Report; and

b.                   if deemed necessary by the NGT, liaises with the Pune Municipal Corporation for the update of the Flood Disaster Management Plan.