PUNE: On Wednesday, the civic body demolished 18 illegal constructions over an area of 78,000 sqft in the Lohegaon and Nagar Road regions. The structures included both concrete buildings and tin sheds, affecting residential and commercial properties alike.
According to a statement from Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) officials, action was also taken against the well-known Rameshwaram Cafe in Vimannagar. Attempts to reach the cafe’s management were unsuccessful as their phone line was off.
PMC officials explained that the demolition was conducted in accordance with the Unified Development Control and Promotion Regulations (UDCPR), which align with the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning (MRTP) Act of 1966. Typically, when building permission violations occur, authorities issue a notice under Section 53 of the MRTP Act, mandating the owner to either remove or regularize the unauthorized construction within a specific timeframe. Some establishments were also served notices under Section 267 of the MRTP Act in this context.
“The PMC issued notices to property owners, instructing them to demolish the illegal constructions, but compliance was not met. Therefore, enforcement action was taken. The civic body will maintain its efforts in this regard,” stated Somnath Bankar, head of PMC’s anti-encroachment department.
Civic officials informed that PMC focused on properties that violated side and front margin regulations during the demolition drive.
