Pune civic body to cut utilities, seek police help to evict residents from 37 unsafe wadas
According to officials, 116 dangerous wadas were issued notices this year. Of these, 76 were partially demolished to remove hazardous portions, but resistance continued in 37 cases
Despite multiple eviction notices issued by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), owners and tenants of 37 dangerous wadas (traditional buildings) have refused to vacate the structures. With the onset of monsoon raising the risk of collapse, the civic body has now decided to disconnect the power and water supply to these properties.
A letter was sent to the police in the first week on June seeking help to evacuate the residents, said officials.
According to officials, 116 dangerous wadas were issued notices this year. Of these, 76 were partially demolished to remove hazardous portions, but resistance continued in 37 cases.
The highest number of dangerous wadas — nine — are in Raviwar Peth, followed by five each in Bhawani Peth, Shukrawar Peth, and Ghorpade Peth. Budhwar Peth has four, Nana Peth has three, while Sadashiv, Guruwar, and Shanivar Peth have two or fewer. PMC estimates that around 2,800 old wadas still exist in the city. Many have been redeveloped, but several remain stuck in ownership and tenancy disputes, turning them into safety hazards.
“There is a serious risk of collapse during heavy rains. We have sent multiple notices, and suggested alternatives, but residents continue to resist. As a last resort, we are cutting off electricity and water connections,” said Rajesh Bankar, superintendent engineer.
Supriya Valse-Patil, PMC executive engineer, said that the situation varies across locations. “In some wadas, only tenants stay, in others both owners and tenants live together. In some cases, owners live elsewhere but still request tenants to vacate. However, no one is ready to leave. We tried to convince them, but it was in vain. We have written to Faraskhana police station and will be requesting support from the city police commissioner next week,” she said.
PMC does not have any provision in its rules to provide alternate accommodation to residents of dilapidated wadas. As a result, the responsibility of finding a new place to stay lies entirely with the residents themselves.
To encourage tenants to vacate such dangerous structures, the PMC issues tenancy certificates. These certificates are meant to assure tenants of their rights and may help them during future redevelopment projects. However, many tenants remain doubtful about the legal value of these certificates and fear that they might lose their property rights once they leave the wada.
“We understand the risks, but leaving our wada without any support or guarantee feels like losing our roots,” said Anjali Arun Chaudhari, a tenant residing in Natu Wada, Shaniwar Peth.
“The tenancy certificate sounds good, but we’re still unsure if it will truly protect our rights in the future,” she added.
“We work in the city area, and if we leave the wada, we can’t afford rent nearby,” said a tenant from Raviwar Peth, requesting anonymity. “The only affordable rentals are in far-off suburban areas. How can we manage our children’s school, college, and our daily commute to work, especially during the monsoon season?”
The PMC has classified unsafe structures into three categories based on their condition. Structures in the C1 category are the most dangerous and need to be vacated immediately. The C2 category includes buildings that require major repairs, while C3 Structures need only minor repairs.
