The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Company (PCMC) in a significant demolition drive razed 4,111 unauthorized buildings which sprawled throughout 827 acres in Kudalwadi, Jadhavwadi, and Chikhali throughout a drive carried out from February 8 to February 14, stated officers.
The huge demolition drive was executed with vital manpower and equipment, together with 47 poclain machines, eight JCBs, and a group comprising 880 police personnel and round 500 PCMC employees members. (HT PHOTO)
The huge demolition drive was executed with vital manpower and equipment, together with 47 poclain machines, eight JCBs, and a group comprising 880 police personnel and round 500 PCMC employees members.
“The encroached structures included tin sheds and permanent structures of scrap shops, warehouses, factories and some residential structures,” stated Manjo Lonkar, deputy commissioner of PCMC.
Makrand Nikam, metropolis engineer, PCMC, stated throughout day one there was a chance that some law-and-order points would possibly come up as folks began to withstand. Nonetheless, we adopted all required protocols and guidelines.
“Since day one the manpower remained the same but the machinery like poclain was increased every day during the drive. Initially, we started with four poclains and later on the last day there were 47, these machines helped us a lot,” he stated.
In the meantime, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Small Scale Industrial Affiliation has claimed that the demolition led to an estimated lack of ₹7,600 crore for industrialists, leaving roughly 2.5 lakh employees unemployed.
Scrap unit homeowners, who bore the brunt of the drive, expressed their misery over the demolitions. “Our livelihoods have been destroyed overnight. We have been running our businesses here for the last 15 years, and now we are left with nothing. The staff now don’t have work or even a place to live. All our money and savings have gone and there is no rehabilitation plan for us,” stated Amjad Sayyed, a scrap unit proprietor from Chikhali.
Shekhar Singh, municipal commissioner of PCMC, stated, “All these structures were illegal and were demolished as per the rules. The drive was conducted in a systematic manner. The PCMC had issued notices in the first week of January, followed by continuous announcements and warnings in early February. The final oral eviction warnings were given seven days before the actual demolitions began, allowing encroachers ample time to vacate the premises.”
The anti-encroachment drive has additionally stirred political controversy. BJP MLA from Bhosari, Mahesh Landge, who raised the problem within the Meeting session final December, expressed blended response. Whereas he supported the elimination of unlawful encroachments, he criticized the motion in opposition to 559 small entrepreneurs and landowners.
“We will seek compensation from the municipal administration and the state government regarding this matter,” stated MLA Landge.
Regardless of the financial affect, a number of residents welcomed the transfer, citing environmental and well being hazards attributable to unauthorized buildings. Sanjeevan Sangale, chairman of the Chikhali Moshi Pimpri-Chinchwad Housing Societies Federation (CMPCHSF), lauded PCMC’s efforts.
“Thousands of residents living in housing societies around Kudalwadi have been complaining to the PCMC about air pollution caused by scrap shops and godowns. Besides, they also contributed to water pollution by discharging untreated wastewater and dumping waste into the Indrayani River,” stated Sangale.