654 illegal structures razed in anti-encroachment drive

Pune: The Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) initiated a month-long drive to remove encroachments along state and national highways within its jurisdiction. In the first two days of the operation, authorities cleared 654 illegal structures, covering approximately 65,000 square feet, on major highways and roads around Pune city.

A senior PMRDA official said, "The action was conducted along the Pune-Nashik highway, Pune-Solapur highway and Chandni Chowk to Paud Road. Several makeshift shops, tin sheds, and other unauthorised structures were demolished as part of the initiative. The drive was initiated following repeated complaints of severe traffic congestion on these key routes."

The PMRDA officials urged citizens to voluntarily remove encroachments before enforcement began. Additionally, the PMRDA chief conducted a coordination meeting last week with representatives from the Public Works Department (PWD), National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC), and local police. The meeting aimed to ensure the smooth execution of the demolition drive.

Officials from the PMRDA's anti-encroachment department said they cleared encroachments along a 14-kilometre stretch of highways and roads, with plans to extend the operation across all major roads in the district. They further confirmed that the initiative would continue over the next month to reclaim public road space and ease traffic flow.

Residents from affected areas welcomed the action and said they were demanding such a major drive for a long time as the encroached structures contribute to severe congestion during peak hours. Sanjay Jadhav, a Chakan resident, said, "We were demanding action against encroachments on the Pune-Nashik Highway and Chakan-Shikrapur Road for years. Some of us even staged protests to demand intervention, as illegal structures led to frequent traffic bottlenecks and accidents, leading to loss of lives."

Kedar Bidwadi, a resident of Hadapsar, welcomed the initiative but emphasised the need for sustained efforts. "It is good to see the authorities restoring roads to their original state. However, this should not be a one-time action. Regular drives should be conducted to deter encroachments and prevent further misuse of public land because these illegal structures appear a few days after the action is over as they know that the officials will not come again to take action," he said.