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PMCs anti-encroachment drive loses steam, hawkers return to footpaths
Despite getting support from citizens, media and the former mayor’s organisation, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has stopped its anti-encroachment drive all of a sudden
Despite getting support from citizens, media and the former mayor’s organisation, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has stopped its anti-encroachment drive all of a sudden. It was expected that the civic body would continue with the drive, especially in the absence of political interference.
Civic activist Vivek Velenkar said, “It was a good chance for the municipal commissioner to continue with the anti-encroachment drive in the city in the absence of political interference. It is the municipal commissioner who has all the powers.”
“We can understand the limitations of political leaders but what limitations does the administration have. They too are behaving like political workers,” Velenkar said.
Former mayor Ankush Kakade said, “When the drive started, we openly supported it and asked the administration to clean the city. All former mayors supported the drive and it went well initially. But now it is going on selectively. They are taking action against particular people and not touching neighbouring encroachments at the same time. This is creating doubts about the administration’s intention.”
“The administration is taking action only where they are receiving complaints. Citizens can see with their own eyes encroachments everywhere in the city. Why does the administration require complaints. They should carry out the drive irrespective,” Kakade said.
A trader from Sinhagad road said on condition of anonymity, “When the drive began, many traders began removing stalls which had extended across the footpaths on their own. But as the drive stopped, everyone resumed old practices.”
Ramesh Kulkarni, a citizen, said, “The administration carried out the drive only for publicity. They claimed to have cleaned DP road but encroachments have reappeared there.”
A PMC officer on condition of anonymity said, “It was a good opportunity as everyone supported the drive. After the attack on a PMC official at Dhanori, all sections supported the PMC. Even traders and hawkers decided to remove the encroachments on their own. But the administration has gone on the back foot now.”
Social activist Nitin Kadam said, “It is a failure on the part of the municipal commissioner. Despite having the power, he is not doing anything. Ideally, he should maintain the pressure to remove the encroachments. Had he maintained the drive, the citizens would have been happy and it would have been an opportunity for him to make his mark.”
