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Pune civic body razes 40 illegal shanties on riverbed
Heavy rains and release of water from Khadakwasla Dam on July 24 and July 25 had caused Mutha River to overflow and flood the illegal structures that have come up on the riverbed under the Z Bridge
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) with the help of police and local leaders vacated and razed 40 shanties near Pulachiwadi, a low-lying area, at Deccan on Thursday.
Heavy rains and release of water from Khadakwasla Dam on July 24 and July 25 had caused Mutha River to overflow and flood the illegal structures that have come up on the riverbed under the Z Bridge.
The flooding had claimed three persons who died of electrocution near Z Bridge, 100 metres from Pulachiwadi, on the Mutha River on July 25.
Sunil Kadam, PMC deputy engineer, said, “Water had entered these steel sheds and posed risk to occupants. Officials visited the place on Thursday after water receded and evacuated the occupants. We razed the illegal shanties under police protection and support of local leaders.
A civic official on condition of anonymity said, “We were shocked to find that some shanties had power connection.”
Encroachments cleared near Navale Bridge to ease traffic
In a joint drive, PMC and Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) authorities carried out an anti-encroachment drive at Navale Bridge and opened the service road for vehicular movement.
At a recent meeting, deputy chief minister and Pune district guardian minister Ajit Pawar had instructed officials to take steps to decongest traffic at Navale Bridge near the Mumbai-Bengaluru Highway. Illegal structures from Navale Bridge to Sinhagad Road were cleared on Wednesday in the operation monitored by PMRDA commissioner Yogesh Mhashe and PMC anti-encroachment department head Madhav Jagtap.
Jagtap said, “Over 6,000 sq ft encroachment obstructing the service road was cleared using two bulldozers, two breakers, gas cutter and trucks.”
Navale Bridge is one of the accident black spots on the Mumbai-Bengaluru Highway between Katraj and Narhe.
