Pune: A tense standoff between residents and authorities in Kalewadi came to an end early Monday (September 30) morning as the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), under strict police protection, demolished a 1400 square-foot unauthorized religious educational building.
The operation, which took place around 4:00 AM, was carried out smoothly despite a brief period of unrest and confusion among the local community.
The building, which was originally constructed in 2001, had undergone recent renovations. While the renovation was ongoing, the PCMC issued notices demanding the removal of the structure, citing violations of local regulations.
However, the owners did not comply, leading the municipal corporation to initiate action on the night of September 29. By 10:00 PM, a convoy of municipal officials and police reached the site, causing alarm among the residents.
News of the impending demolition spread quickly on social media, prompting thousands of people associated with the religious educational structure to rush to the scene. Tensions ran high as the crowd gathered, raising concerns of a potential confrontation.
However, the situation was defused after local leaders and officials appealed to the crowd, convincing them to disperse around 2:00 AM. Following this, the PCMC team, along with the police, carried out the demolition in the early hours of the morning without any further incidents.
To ensure law and order, the police had sealed off several roads in and around Kalewadi from late Sunday (September 29) night, resulting in confusion among the local residents. Many were caught off guard by the heavy police deployment and the sudden road closures.
This caused significant disruption for people in Kalewadi, Pimpri Camp, Pimpri Gaon, Thergaon, Rahatani, and Wakad, especially for those trying to commute to work and school on Monday morning.
Kiran Gaikwad, Public Relations Officer of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, stated, “We had issued two notices earlier regarding this unauthorized hall. Since the owners did not act on them, we had to move forward with the demolition as per regulations.”
In response, a representative of the religious educational structure said, “This hall has been standing for 24 years, and we were merely carrying out renovation work.
The land falls under the local authority’s jurisdiction, so we were unable to obtain formal construction permits. We were willing to pay the fines as per the notice, and were under the impression that a minor action would be taken following proper procedures. Instead, we feel we have been misled.”
