Pune Corporators Accuse PMC of Unfair Crackdown on Small Homeowners
During the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) general body meeting on Monday, corporators from Lohegaon, Wagholi, and Nagar Road launched a sharp critique against the civic administration. They argued that the intensified crackdown on unauthorized constructions has become "haphazard", disproportionately affecting small homeowners while larger illegal projects remain unchecked.
Allegations of Bias and Lack of Due Process
Elected representatives claimed that owners of small houses and standalone buildings are facing enforcement actions without prior notices, a practice they deem unfair. Ramdas Dabhade, corporator from Lohegaon-Wagholi, highlighted the complexities in recently merged areas. "Several parts of Lohegaon and Wagholi were included in PMC limits only in the last few years. Many constructions were legally sanctioned before the merger. Despite this, action is being taken indiscriminately," Dabhade stated. He emphasized that while they support action against illegal constructions, the PMC must verify documents and permissions to avoid harassing small homeowners.
Another corporator, Anil Satav, went further by alleging deliberate misconduct and possible monetary exchanges linked to the enforcement actions. "We want action to be taken strictly against illegal buildings. The administration should also clarify why it does not act when construction work begins and why PMC teams arrive only after buildings are constructed up to four slabs. This shows the administration failed to intervene when illegal constructions were under way," Satav said, questioning the timing and integrity of the crackdown.
Administration's Response and Technical Challenges
In response, PMC city engineer Aniruddha Pavaksar defended the administration's approach, stating that teams have been instructed to conduct daily inspections and initiate action as required. Regarding the merged areas, Pavaksar explained, "The Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) was earlier the sanctioning authority for building permissions, while PMC's appointment as the authority was announced only recently." This transition has created challenges in enforcement and documentation verification.
Additional Civic Concerns Raised
The meeting also addressed other pressing issues:
- Pending Road Works: Corporators raised concerns over delayed infrastructure projects. Kondhwa corporator Gaful Pathan demanded the completion of a Shivnerinagar Development Plan road, while Haridas Charvad from the Sinhagad Road area called for opening a road link to improve commuting for residents of Gosavi Wasti.
- Revenue Committee Dissolution: Senior corporator Prithviraj Sutar, along with others, demanded the dissolution of the revenue committee, claiming it delays fund sanctioning. Sutar argued that the committee, formed during the COVID-19 pandemic, is redundant with the standing committee already functional. However, municipal commissioner Naval Kishore Ram insisted the committee would continue to help determine spending priorities, promising to address delays on a case-by-case basis.
- Murder Accused Corporators Attend Meeting: In a notable development, corporators Sonali Andekar and Laxmi Andekar, currently lodged in Kolhapur Central Prison on murder charges related to the Aayush Komkar case, attended the meeting via videoconferencing. They had obtained court permission to avoid losing their seats due to non-attendance.
The discussions underscore ongoing tensions between elected representatives and the civic administration over governance, transparency, and equitable enforcement in Pune's rapidly evolving urban landscape.
