Urban News

Police commissioner Satyapal Singh, soon after the Germany Bakery blast, had said that the bakery itself had encroached on the road to set up its sitting area. On Wednesday, Singh told The Indian Express that the anti-encroachment drive now needs to go beyond Koregaon Park.

“It is good that the PMC has finally removed the encroachments. The law should prevail. In fact, the PMC should remove encroachments all over the city. Even in Pimpri-Chinchwad, the civic body should initiate action. We are willing to extend all help to PMC and PCMC if the two civic bodies undertake such a drive,” Singh said.

While Pune Municipal Commissioner Mahesh Zagade could not be contacted for his comments as he was busy with the general body meeting, Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal commissioner Asheesh Sharma said, “We keep undertaking such anti-encroachment drives. We will take action if police commissioner recommends.”

Police Inspector M G Pathan, who was in charge of security when the PMC staff removed the encroachments, said, “ Encroachments on 2-km stretch of North Main Road were removed. Officials of the anti-encroachment department started work around 11 am and completed their task by 5 pm. Encroachments on the by-lanes of Koregaon Park, particularly lane no. 7, were also removed. Owners of these establishments cooperated with the police making the operation trouble-free. “

Pathan said that the sitting areas of many eateries in Koregaon Park were on encroached land, mostly public space. All this was giving rise to traffic congestion, he said.

Manoj Patil, DCP, Traffic, said this was a move long overdue as the areas of Mundhwa, around ABC Farm, Kalyani Nagar and Wadgaonsheri have witnessed a lot of construction activity — commercial and residential. “There are two routes to reach these areas — one via Ghorpadi which motorists avoid due to the railway crossing. This leads to the entire traffic load falling on the other route via Koregaon Park especially the North Main Road,” said Patil.

Inspector Suhas Nadgauda of the Bund Garden police station said they had sent a letter to the PMC a week after the blast asking them to remove the encroachments in Koregaon Park. “Finally, the officers have paid heed to our request,” said Nadgauda.

The civic administration had served notices to the illegal structures before initiating action against them. Of the 39 structures, the owners of 11 illegal structures brought down the structures on their own. In a press statement, the PMC said the temporary structures in the Hadapsar area were used for commercial purpose and despite action they were coming up repeatedly.

Thus, the civic body has filed a police complaint against the persons responsible for erecting the illegal structures.

Municipal Commissioner Mahesh Zagade had issued directions to all ward offices and zonal offices to keep a check on encroachment and illegal construction in their respective jurisdiction. All the concerned officials have been asked to initiate action against the illegal structures that are coming up in various parts of the city.