Pune: The Supreme Court has ordered the demolition of 29 unauthorized bungalows situated near the Indrayani River in Jadhavwadi Chikhli, Pimpri-Chinchwad.
These structures, built on illegally plotted land within the river's flood zone, have been deemed illegal following a petition by Advocate Tanaji Gambhire.
The National Green Tribunal had earlier mandated the demolition, a decision now upheld by the Supreme Court. The municipal corporation is expected to carry out the demolition, though the exact timeline remains uncertain. Despite the impending action, construction work on some bungalows continues.
The Indrayani River flows north of Pimpri-Chinchwad city, where plots were illegally sold within the flood zone. Many citizens spent lakhs of rupees to build bungalows on these plots, including some three- and four-story houses.
Advocate Tanaji Gambhire had filed a petition with the National Green Tribunal (NGT), which ordered the demolition of all the bungalows.
The concerned parties appealed to the Supreme Court, but the court upheld the NGT's decision. Now, all eyes are on the municipal corporation to see how they will respond.
The Reality:
The plots were sold for ₹18-20 lakh per guntha (approximately 1,089 square feet).
Citizens spent at least ₹70 lakh or more on constructing the bungalows.
The municipal corporation provided drainage and water connections, while the electricity connections were provided by the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company (Mahavitaran).
The residents have property records and '7/12 extracts' from the registrar's office.
The residents claim they have been paying approximately ₹28,000 per year in property taxes.
The municipal corporation even assigned house numbers to each bungalow just two months ago.
Current Situation:
No one is willing to speak openly about the bungalows.
On the condition of anonymity, two residents mentioned that they feel deceived.
They also stated that the relevant authorities should have informed them about the issues during the purchase or registration of the plots.
Fences made of metal sheets have been put up along the riverbank.
Similar construction is ongoing along the banks of the Mula and Pavana rivers, as well as near the Indrayani River in Chikhali, Moshi, and Charholi.