PMRDA razes encroachments in Wagholi

PUNE: In a bid to ease traffic congestion which has worsened due to rampant illegal construction, the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) cleared over 120 unauthorised structures covering more than 15,000 square feet by Thursday afternoon.

Rising complaints about illegal structures disrupting the traffic in Wagholi and the surrounding areas prompted the PMRDA anti-encroachment department to take action over the past two days. Officials expect the clearance drive to improve traffic flow significantly.

Earlier this week on Monday, police commissioner Amitesh Kumar along with Shirur MLA Dnyaneshwar Katke, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) chief engineer Aniruddha Pawaskar, and PMRDA officials, inspected the Kharadi-Wagholi route. During the inspection, Kumar noted several factors impacting the traffic including poor road conditions, indisciplined driving, construction debris on road dividers, and roadside encroachments. He further directed the traffic police and civic agencies to take strict action against wrong-side driving, triple-seat riding, auto-rickshaws packed beyond capacity, and unauthorised vendors encroaching road space.

Following this, encroachments were cleared from key traffic corridors through a joint operation between the PMRDA and public works department (PWD) conducted in the presence of MLA Katke and commissioner Kumar. PMRDA officials urged residents to refrain from unauthorised construction in future.

The demolition drive was carried out under the supervision of PMRDA commissioner Yogesh Mhase, superintendent of police Amol Tambe, joint commissioner of unauthorised construction and removal Dr Deepti Suryavanshi-Patil, deputy collector Pramod Kudale, tehsildars Sachin Maske and Ravindra Ranjane, and police inspector Mahesh Kumar Sartape along with junior engineers and police personnel.

“PMRDA’s anti-encroachment department is actively demolishing illegal structures. We have urged residents to voluntarily clear encroachments and cooperate with the administration,” said PMRDA commissioner Mhase.

Encroachments cleared from Navale Bridge and Hinjewadi

In a separate operation, 36 illegal structures spanning 22,000 square feet were demolished from the Navale Bridge area. Similarly, in Hinjewadi’s Laxmi Chowk, over 100 unauthorised constructions covering an area of 20,500 square feet were removed. These actions have significantly improved traffic flow in both areas. The PMRDA has vowed to continue its crackdown on illegal structures across Pune’s rapidly developing suburbs.

Meanwhile, a joint meeting of officials from the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC), PWD, police and Gram Panchayat was held on Thursday, January 30, wherein illegal constructions were identified. It was decided that encroachments along the Hinjewadi-Maan and Kirkitwadi-Kolhewadi routes would be cleared within a week.