Forest dept razes illegal structures in Bhimashankar; locals flag livelihood concerns

Pune: The Junnar forest division has demolished several illegal structures along the approach road to the Bhimashankar temple over the past two days.Officials said the action was aimed at facilitating ongoing conservation work at the historic shrine, which is one of the 12 jyotirlingas in India, and ensuring smooth movement of devotees ahead of the Kumbh Mela 2027.Forest officials said the conservation work needs to be completed before the onset of the monsoon. The presence of encroachments, they said, along the narrow approach road was hampering both pedestrian and movement of vehicles carrying construction materials for the restoration project, they added."With the number of pilgrims steadily increasing and expected to rise sharply during the Kumbh Mela, it was necessary to clear these structures," said a senior forest department official.He added that notices had been served multiple times in the past to those who had set up shops and other structures along the road."Despite repeated notices, the encroachments were not removed. Eventually, we had to deploy earth movers to clear the area," the official said, maintaining that the action was taken strictly as per procedure.However, the demolition drive has triggered strong resentment among local shopkeepers. Many shopkeepers claimed that the roadside stalls were their only source of income.The affected shopkeepers said they belong to villages around the pilgrim town and depend heavily on seasonal earnings from pilgrims visiting the temple."We earn whatever little money we make from these shops. If the govt wants to remove us, it should provide us with a designated place to set up stalls," said a local shopkeeper whose structure was demolished. "The authorities cannot completely ignore our financial condition and what kind of impact such drives have on our families," the shopkeeper added.The shopkeepers also pointed out that most of them own small plots of farmland where they grow rice during the monsoon. For the remaining year, the land remains dry and unproductive. They said they have no other choice than to be dependent on small businesses linked to pilgrimage tourism.They have demanded that the authorities consider rehabilitation measures, including allotment of alternative vending zones, to prevent loss of livelihood.Ashok Shengale, a local activist, said, "These shops have been there for the last many years. The authorities should have removed them when they were set up. Some of them had even invested money in constructing a proper shop. This is a big loss for them. The authorities should create a separate zone for vendors who can operate without any fear."Officials, meanwhile, said the primary focus remains on conservation of the heritage site and ensuring safety and convenience for pilgrims, adding that any decision on rehabilitation would have to be taken by the concerned departments.