PMC stops action against RMC plants at Vadgaon

The Pune Municipal Corporation halted its crackdown on illegal concrete plants due to political pressure, despite prior commitments to enforcement.

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) began a crackdown on illegal ready to mix concrete (RMC) plants last week. However, the civic body abruptly halted the drive on Friday in the Vadgaon area without giving clarification.

Last week, the civic body itself wrote a letter to the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), pointing out that the RMC plants were operating without permission and that action would be taken against them. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

Last week, the civic body itself wrote a letter to the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), pointing out that the RMC plants were operating without permission and that action would be taken against them.

Sources confirmed that the administration rolled back the drive due to political pressure.

Vivek Velankar, a civic activist, said, “The PMC makes big announcements but is not consistent in taking action on the ground. Earlier, they started similar drives against hawkers, overhead cables, and illegal hoardings, but they stopped after some time. The same is happening with the RMC plants.”

On April 15, the civic body bulldozed seven RMC plants in the Kharadi–Lohegaon area, despite reported pressure on the administration.

Officials had said this was the first time the civic body had undertaken a large-scale crackdown on RMC plants, a move that has unsettled sections of the construction industry.

Officials from the anti-encroachment department refused to comment on the issue.