Pune civic body swings into action against encroachments
Over the past two days, shanties were removed from chronic spots, including Congress Bhavan, NIBM Road, and under several flyover bridges
After facing criticism from elected representatives, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has launched a drive to clear encroachments, including shanties erected on footpaths across key areas in the city.
Several footpaths and chowks, including those near Congress Bhavan, Mrutyunjayeshwar Temple in Kothrud, Pune Station, NIBM Road Chowk, and other parts of the city, had seen an increase in encroachments. Shanties had become a common sight, causing inconvenience to pedestrians and tarnishing the city’s image.
Over the past two days, shanties were removed from chronic spots, including Congress Bhavan, NIBM Road, and under several flyover bridges. An anti-encroachment drive was also conducted on FC Road last week as part of this renewed effort.
Last week, minister of state for civil aviation Murlidhar Mohol, along with state cabinet minister Chandrakant Patil, and city MLAs held a meeting with municipal commissioner Rajendra Bhosale and heads of various departments to address the issue.
During the meeting, elected members expressed concerns about the growing encroachments and questioned the PMC’s lack of action.
Mohol said, “It is true that the administration has been conducting superficial anti-encroachment drives despite receiving clear instructions. Moving forward, we will seek progress reports regularly from the administration.”
The activists also criticized the authorities, accusing them of conducting “token” anti-encroachment drives that lasted only a day or two before being abandoned.
Despite the action taken, PMC officers have been reluctant to comment on the drives, possibly due to the backlash from elected representatives over their earlier inaction.