PMC slaps ₹80.46-lakh fine on developer for illegal road excavation in Mohammadwadi

According to the civic officials, M/s Chafalkar Karandikar Developers carried out the excavation from Backstage Hotel to Raheja Chowk to lay underground power cables without prior approval

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has imposed a penalty of ₹80.46 lakh on a private developer for illegally excavating a newly constructed cement-concrete road and footpath along the NIBM Annexe stretch in Mohammadwadi without obtaining permission from the civic body’s road department.

A spot inspection revealed that nearly 220 metres of the newly built road had been dug up using heavy machinery. (HT)

According to the civic officials, M/s Chafalkar Karandikar Developers carried out the excavation from Backstage Hotel to Raheja Chowk to lay underground power cables without prior approval. A spot inspection revealed that nearly 220 metres of the newly built road had been dug up using heavy machinery. The developer could not be reached for comment despite repeated attempts.

In a notice dated October 17, issued by PMC road department’s executive engineer — a copy of which is with Hindustan Times — the developer has been directed to deposit ₹80,46,720 with the civic treasury immediately. The fine includes a base charge of ₹26,82,240, multiplied threefold as per PMC regulations for unauthorised road excavation.

“Failure to pay the penalty will invite further action, including a stop-work notice on the developer’s ongoing project,” the notice stated.

The action followed a complaint by social activists Ashok Mehendale and Jaymala Dhankikar, who alleged that eight to ten men linked to a private contractor had carried out the digging on the night of October 13. The men reportedly claimed to be working for the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) but could not produce any official work order or road-digging permission.

“When I objected, the workers said it was an MSEDCL job, but they had no documents. They claimed the work order would come the next morning — which was a Sunday — and that’s when it was clear they were lying,” said Mehendale, who immediately alerted PMC officials and shared photographs and location details on WhatsApp.

Dhankikar also wrote to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, alleging growing lawlessness by contractors linked to former elected representatives. “We demanded a thorough inquiry and strict action. Many anti-social elements have become contractors and are misusing civic infrastructure in Mohammadwadi. We appreciate municipal commissioner Naval Kishore Ram for standing by citizens and penalising the violators,” she said.

Aniruddha Pawaskar, head, PMC road department, said that strict directions were issued to penalise the developer. He added that unauthorised excavations damage newly laid roads and that such violations will attract heavy fines.

Officials said PMC has recently introduced a digital register of all road-digging permissions to ensure transparency and curb illegal excavation. Utility agencies and private developers have been instructed to obtain mandatory permissions and coordinate with the road department before undertaking any such work.