Controlled blasting at Sus-Pashan road : PMRDA gives clean chit to builder

Police have sought to cancel the No Objection Certificate (NOC) given to the contractor for carrying out controlled blasting

Days after residents from Bella Casa and other societies at Mohan nagar along Sus-Pashan road reported damage to the window panes of vehicles and houses, the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) has given a clean chit to the builder and the construction work has resumed. Police have, meanwhile, sought to cancel the No Objection Certificate (NOC) given to the contractor for carrying out controlled blasting.

Vaishali Patkar, a resident of Bella Casa society shows damages to her car due to controlled blasting incident. (HT File Photo)

The incident was reported on April 19 at ‘Verve’ project being developed by VTP Reality. Broken shards of glass and stones fell onto the cars parked, smashing their windows, and damaging the vehicles.

After the incident, PMRDA had asked the builder to stop construction work but during the investigation, the planning authority found that the builder has not violated any rule under the Maharashtra Regional Town Planning Act (MRTP).

Suhas Divase, commissioner, PMRDA, said, “We had asked the builder to submit all the documents and permissions during the investigation and we found that there is no violation under MRTP, and hence we have not taken any action.”

Vivek Muglikar, police inspector incharge of Hinjewadi police station, said, “The offence has been registered against the contractor Mahendra Sasar and we have sent a letter to the commissioner’s office to cancel NOC. Further, it will be sent to the licensing authority, controller of explosives in Navi Mumbai.”

The residents of the affected societies filed a first information report (FIR) with the Hinjewadi police station against the contractor under IPC sections 286 and 336.

Despite repeated attempts officials of VTP Reality were unavailable for comments.