As per Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) officials, there is an increase in the number of unauthorised constructions. The PMC attributes the spurt to residents taking advantage of the current lockdown, as PMC personnel are all on Covid duty.
According to PMC’s building permission officials, Kondhwa, Kharadi, Wadgaonsheri, Mundhwa, Keshavnagar, Katraj, Hadapsar, Sinhagad road, Vishrantwadi, Kalas Dhanori and Lohegaon, apart from 11 merged villages areas, is where ward officials are reporting an increasing number of unauthorised constructions.
Rajendra Raut, superintendent engineer of the building permission and construction department, said, “Our staff has been assigned Covid duties. We have received very few proposals for building permissions.”
In recent action, PMC demolished 27,950 square feet of unauthorised construction in Mundhwa, Ghorpadi and the BT Kavade road area.
PMC officials found 2,500 square feet of unauthorised construction at a residence in Shrivastinagar, and over 20,000 sqft at four different locations in the same area.
Namdev Gambhire, executive engineer, of the department said, “We have got calls from residents about unauthorised construction. Due to Covid-19 duties, our staff does not get enough time to take action. However, we have been given instructions to serve notices and file police complaints.”
An official, speaking anonymously, said, “The administration has taken strict action against engineers negligent while on Covid duty. Recently, two engineers were suspended by the PMC. Therefore, we don’t get time to visit unauthorised construction sites and serve notices.”