Sprawling amongst its hills and dales, Pune is the largest city in the Sahyadri Mountain Range. Sahyadri Range is a part of the larger mountain range called the Western Ghats of India, starting from Gujarat and reaching all the way down south to Kerala.
Pune is located on the eastern slopes of the majestic Sahyadri Mountains. The western slopes, on the other side, abruptly descend to the coastline of India, leaving a narrow, long band of extremely fertile and lush green region called Konkan. Konkan lies between the foot of the mountain range and the west coast of India.
Pune’s Unique Location and Climate
Located on a plateau called ‘The Deccan Plateau’ at an average elevation of 1800 ft from the sea level, Pune’s aerial distance from the coastline is about 60km. It is endowed with very pleasant weather, owing to a unique combination of geographical parameters such as its altitude, distance from the sea, and its location in the mountain range. Pune experiences a temperate climate with abundant rainfall during the monsoon months. It’s not just the weather, but there are many more factors that have come together to easily make it the most desirable city in India and this part of the world. Some of them are listed below:
1. Climate: As mentioned earlier, due to its unique geographic location, Pune enjoys pleasant weather year-round. The winters are gentle, the summers are bearable, and the monsoon months, from June to September, transform the city into a lush-green paradise. The climate of Pune, in fact, is one of the biggest attractions for people coming and settling here, escaping the extreme weather of the northern regions of the country.
2. Culture: You can find people from all walks of life here. It would not be wrong to call this city a melting pot of cultures, where people come from diverse backgrounds, both ethnically and geographically, and melt into the vibrant Puneri culture, a culture that embraces anyone with open arms. Everyone is welcome here!! The best thing about Puneri culture is it lets you do your own thing without unnecessarily being judged at every step.
3. Education: Often called the ‘Oxford of the East’, Pune has many educational institutes of national and international standards where one can study any discipline right up to the highest levels of certification. People from across the country and abroad come here seeking education in their area of interest.
4. Employment: Besides calling it the ‘Oxford of the East’, I would also call it the ‘Detroit of the East’. Almost all the major automobile manufacturers have their headquarters and manufacturing units here. These automobile units generate a lot of primary, secondary, and tertiary employment. In addition to being an automobile hub, Pune is also an IT hub. There are many IT parks located across the city, offering employment to hundreds of thousands of IT professionals and support staff. Pune is a highly industrialized city with one municipal corporation completely dedicated to the industrial belt of Pune.
5. Infrastructure: Pune has good road connectivity to Mumbai through India’s first, state-of-the-art expressway. There are reputed developers in the city, offering high standards of residential accommodation. There are many special economic zones (SEZs), offering international standard infrastructure to the industries and businesses. Pune has good quality roads crisscrossing the city, providing connectivity in the city. There are numerous malls and shopping centers located at convenient locations. Soon, the entire city will be connected by metro rail.
6. Water: Due to its geographical location, Pune enjoys an abundant supply of drinking water from many of its reservoirs. These reservoirs are filled by rainwater, brought to them by east-flowing rivers, from the Western Ghats. According to SANDRP, the average depth of Pune’s groundwater table stands at around 15ft to 30ft and is easily accessible. This makes Pune a city of choice for many industries and businesses.
7. Location & Connectivity: Pune is centrally located, almost equidistant from the south and north ends of the country. This makes the city easily accessible from any part of the country within a maximum of 2 hours of flying time. It is located on NH4, connecting Mumbai to Chennai, under the golden quadrilateral scheme of NHAI. NH4 connects Pune to all the southern cities by road, while NH48 connects it to the northern cities of the country. Pune has an international airport, connecting it to many destinations around the world. Being a cantonment city, it is also well connected by the rail network with the entire country.
8. Cantonments: Pune has many cantonments and defense establishments, a legacy left by the British Raj, thanks to the pleasant climate of the city. The presence of so many defense establishments brings a lot of order to the city and prevents unsustainable growth due to vast tracts of defense land, inaccessible to land sharks.
9. Healthcare: Pune has ranked number 1 in healthcare infrastructure amongst the top 8 cities of India, (Livemint, 2021). This makes it the city of choice for everyone due to its easy access to healthcare and wellness facilities.
10. Law & Order: Maharashtra has a justice score of 5.92 against an average of 4.95 for large Indian states. Crimes against women or the elderly are rare, and that makes it a safe place for working and retired professionals alike.
11. Sightseeing & Recreation: As the city is located on the eastern slopes of the Sahyadri Mountain Range, it won’t be wrong if we call it a hill station. There are many forts located on the hilltops around the city, proudly showcasing the valor of the Maratha Empire and its brave warriors. These cloud-topped forts also offer panoramic views of the sprawling city below. The city has many lakes where one can visit for a day picnic. Within the city, there are many parks and gardens to be visited. There are many architectural sites of historical importance, offering a peek into Pune’s rich cultural heritage and history. Cinema and theater lovers have many congregations here. There are both extravagant shopping malls and exciting flee markets in the city. Sinhagad Fort, Shaniwar Wada, Aga Khan Palace, Khadakwasla Lake, Lavasa Hill City, Bonsai Garden (displaying the world’s largest collection of Bonsai) by Prajakta Kale (bonsainamaste.com), Pataleshwar Caves, Osho Ashram, Dagdusheth Halwai Temple, and the National War Museum are only a few from an endless list of destinations that Pune offers for sightseeing and recreation.
There was a time when the city used to be called as a pensioners’ paradise. From that title, I now wish to elevate the city’s title to Punekars’ Paradise. The only condition to really appreciate the city and its riches is to have a Puneri perspective!!!
