PCMC to begin demarcation of red zones in twin city

The standing committee of the PCMC on Tuesday approved ₹1.13 crore for land measurement and demarcation of red zones in Pimpri-Chinchwad

Following the recent fire at an illegal birthday candle manufacturing unit in the Talawade red zone which claimed 16 lives, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has approved ₹1.13 crore in funds to begin the measurement of land and demarcate red zones in Pimpri-Chinchwad. The land records’ department will carry out land measurement and submit the report to the town planning department to finalise the demarcation of red zones, officials said.

The survey is likely to begin from January next year, officials said. (HT PHOTO)

The standing committee of the PCMC on Tuesday approved ₹1.13 crore for land measurement and demarcation of red zones in Pimpri-Chinchwad. Out of the ₹1.13 crore, ₹1.07 crore will be paid for the measurement of the 2,000 yards’ area of the Dehu Road red zone and ₹6.66 lakh will be paid for the measurement of the 1,200 yards’ area of the Dighi red zone. The survey is likely to begin from January next year, officials said.

Pimpri-Chinchwad has two red zones in the Dehu Road and Dighi areas created under the Works of Defence Act, 1903. However, the PCMC doesn’t know the exact demarcation or number of residential and commercial properties in these red zones. Defence authorities have prohibited construction within a radius of 2,000 yards from the Dehu Road Ammunition Depot, which has affected Nigdi, Chikhli and Talawade among other areas of the twin city. According to officials, more than 3,000 industrial units have been operating illegally in this red zone area for the past 30 to 40 years, and more than one lakh people work in these units. Similarly, construction is prohibited within a radius of 1,145 metres from the Dighi Magazine Depot which has affected Charholi, Dudulgaon, Dighi, Bhosari and other areas in Pimpri-Chinchwad.

Prasad Gaikwad, director of the PCMC town planning department, said, “Several commercial, industrial and residential developments have been carried out in these zones. The landowners sell this land at cheap rates and people buy it finding the offers to be lucrative. There have been instances of citizens coming to our office for permission to construct their houses only to realise that they have been cheated.”

Gaikwad further informed that the red zones are ‘no development zones’ and that after demarcation, the map will be released by the civic body. “We will put up boards and public notices to make people aware about the exact area of the red zones,” he said.