Crackdown planned as illegal hoardings continue to rise in Pune Metropolitan Region

Pune metropolitan commissioner Yogesh Mhase on Friday informed that the survey is underway in Chakan to ease traffic congestion and warned of strict action against illegal hoardings and constructions in the coming week

As illegal hoardings continue to mushroom across the Pune Metropolitan Region (PMR) despite repeated appeals from the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA), the PMRDA has undertaken a survey of all such billboards in Chakan and will take strict action against the same in the coming week.

Officials urged residents to cooperate and remove encroachments on their own else forcible removal would follow, they warned. (HT PHOTO)

Pune metropolitan commissioner Yogesh Mhase on Friday informed that the survey is underway in Chakan to ease traffic congestion and warned of strict action against illegal hoardings and constructions in the coming week. Due to encroachments, frequent traffic jams are troubling commuters in the Chakan Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) area. Mhase appealed to citizens and businesses to remove encroachments immediately. The PMRDA will mark the sites according to the proposed road widths before starting the eviction drive, he said.

Deputy collector Deepti Suryavanshi on Friday said, “We will soon begin a dedicated drive against illegal hoardings and constructions in Chakan.” She said that if people reinstall illegal hoardings or repeat encroachments after removal, police cases will be registered against them.

Meanwhile, officials urged residents to cooperate and remove encroachments on their own else forcible removal would follow, they warned. Plans are also afoot to widen narrow roads and develop a network of parallel roads in Chakan to reduce congestion. Blocked drains on Pune-Nashik Road, Talegaon–Chakan–Shikrapur Road and the nearby areas will also be cleared.

Since April, the PMRDA has taken action against 230 illegal hoardings, including those on the Hinjewadi and Palkhi roads. According to data uploaded on the PMRDA website, there are 568 illegal hoardings across various talukas with Khed having the highest at 137, followed by Haveli east at 108, and Mulshi at 87. Maval has 78 illegal hoardings, Shirur 60, Bhor 59, Daund 32, and Haveli west seven. Between them, Khed, Haveli east and Mulshi account for nearly 60% of all illegal hoardings in the PMR.