The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has intensified its anti-encroachment drive, taking decisive action after penalizing civic officials for negligence and enforcing strict measures ahead of the monsoon season.
Massive Clearance Operation
Over the past 40 days, the civic body has demolished more than 300 illegal structures, covering a total area of 1.8 lakh square feet. A senior PCMC official stated that the drive targets both temporary and permanent constructions, with a strong emphasis on intervening during the early stages of building.
In a notable operation in Wakad on Wednesday, officials from the D ward demolished 33 tin sheds spanning 74,755 square feet to facilitate road widening. The following day, the same ward cleared 43 tin sheds covering 63,184 square feet.
Crackdown Gaining Momentum
The intensified crackdown follows a series of review meetings led by Municipal Commissioner Vijay Suryawanshi, who instructed officials to prioritize action against encroachments. Earlier this month, he suspended two engineers for failing to act within their jurisdictions and issued a show-cause notice to a ward officer. One of the suspended engineers was found leaking information about planned anti-encroachment operations, which alerted locals and impeded the drive.
Additional Municipal Commissioner Trupti Sandbhor said beat inspectors have been directed to conduct regular patrols and take swift action against illegal constructions. "We are ensuring that structures are demolished at the initial stage of construction. At the same time, completed illegal structures, including those on PCMC land and other government properties, are also being removed," she said.
Pre-Monsoon Preparations
Sandbhor added that a GIS survey of nullahs has been conducted to identify structures obstructing water flow. "Officials have been instructed to clear these obstructions before May 15," she said. The civic body will also launch a drive from Friday to remove encroachments from footpaths across the city to ensure pedestrian access.
As part of pre-monsoon preparations, nullah cleaning has been accelerated, and officials have been directed to complete desilting before the rains begin. Earlier, the civic chief had also appointed nodal officers for each ward to handle rain-related complaints during the monsoon.
