The Times of India 21.12.2009
All’s not well between PCMC, defence authorities
Vehicular traffic resumed only after the intervention of the municipal commissioner Ashish Sharma on the same night. The reason why the road stretch was blocked was because PCMC has used the CME land for widening the road stretch and, apparently the issue of transfer of land has not been sorted out.
Speaking to TOI, Ashish Sharma, municipal commissioner said, “It is true that the CME had obstructed the vehicular traffic on the service road near Phugewadi octroi post which has been built on their land, but with their permission. The obstacles have been removed and the vehicular traffic has resumed.”
The PCMC has recently completed the road-widening work of the 11-km stretch from Nigdi to Phugewadi. The road stretch has eight lanes and is 61 metre wide. For widening another one km road stretch from Phugewadi to Dapodi, where the PCMC limits end, the municipal corporation has sought land from the CME.
The municipal corporation had held discussions with the defence authorities for obtaining land for road-widening. After necessary permissions, the PCMC initiated the road-widening work on a small stretch of road from Phugewadi octroi post to CME main gate. The work is in the final stages as streetlights, footpaths and tarring of road has been completed. A new boundary wall for CME has also been completed.
