PMC razes 35 illegal structure violating river’s “blue line” in Baner

National Green Tribunal (NGT) orders Pune Municipal Corporation to raze shops built illegally on survey numbers 191 to 195 in Baner

PUNE Following the orders from National Green Tribunal (NGT), the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Friday, razed 35 shops built illegally on survey numbers 191 to 195 in Baner. All the structures were on the “blue line” of the river in Baner. The blue line demarcates the flood line of the water body.

The razing of the illegal structures by PMC, as per NGT order, took seven hours, beginning at 11 am and ending at 6pm on Friday. (HT)

The roads were blocked by slow moving traffic with people gathering in groups to see the shops being razed. “The NGT, in February 2020, passed orders to clear unauthorised or illegal constructions in the blue line area of Baner. Due to the Corona pandemic, this could not be done. Hence on June 11, 2021, the building permission department took this decision and began clearing the structures,” said Yuvraj Deshmukh, superintending engineer, building department.

City engineer Prashant Waghmare and Shrikant Waidande, executive engineer, PMC, were present at the site.

Armed with JCBs, gas cutters 20 workers, anti-encroachment personnel, and 17 police personnel, the PMC began the action against the illegal constructions. The action took seven hours, beginning at11 am until 6pm.