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Pune Municipal Corporation fails to stake ownership of playground at Castel Royale
Land located next to tower-1 of Castel Royale is currently being used by a private sports institute illegally
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has failed to stake ownership of a prime public playground plot of at least 30,000 square feet located at the premises of the super-luxury residential complex, Castel Royale at Aundh road-Bopodi.
The plot is located next to tower-1 of Castel Royale, on Park road outside the Khadki gate of Savitribai Phule Pune University.
Parshuram Wadekar, leader of Republican Party of India (RPI-A) said he had written a letter to the PMC last week urging it to make the public playground available to the public. Wadekar said, “Even though the builder-developer Avinash Bhosale had handed over the fully-developed playground to the PMC, the civic body had not laid claim to the plot and had not even put up a board stating that the plot belongs to the civic body and thus, to the public.”
Wadekar whose wife Sunita is the elected member from the area said, “We have made a budgetary provision to introduce sports activities on the plot. However, we have not been able to do so as the administration has not made progress on this issue.”
In a report on October 18, Hindustan Times had highlighted how Wadekar and his wife, RPI corporator from Bopodi, Sunita Wadekar, had succeeded in securing prime public land of one acre which was enclosed in the Castel Royale residential project.
In October, 2018, Parasuram Wadekar had said in an interview, “I was aware that the developer Avinash Bhosale Infrastructure Ltd, which has constructed the Castel Royale project needed to hand over a developed plot of 40 hectares( (one hectare equals 1,089 square feet) from the project to PMC.”
“ As this place is serene and peaceful, I wanted to initiate an innovative project on this plot. I, therefore, followed it up with Pune Municipal Corporation for gaining possession of almost two to three acres of land from the developer. Prashant Waghmare, city engineer, extended considerable assistance in getting possession of this land,” Wadekar said.
While a Vipassana and Yoga centre has been planned on this land, the playground plot is also a part of this agreement between ABIL and the PMC.
When asked about the status, PMC’s establishment department head Anil Muley said, “I am not aware of the exact situation on the ground on this plot. I will take the necessary information from the junior officer in charge and let you know the exact situation in a day.”
PMC’s junior engineer J B Pawar confirmed that the civic body had got the possession of this plot and very soon, the private sports activity on that ground would be stopped.
Where is the playground?
The 30,000-sq ft plot is located next to tower-1 of the super luxury Castel Royale residential project located on 20 acres off Aundh road on Park road outside the Khadki gate of Savitribai Phule Pune University.
Illegal sports activity
Pune Municipal Corporation got possession of the land from Avinash Bhosale Group, but the civic administration has not yet converted the land into a public playground. It has not even put up a warning notice about trespassing. Currently, the land is being used by a private sports institute illegally. PMC deputy engineer JB Pawar has accepted that the sports activity going on the ground is illegal and they would initiate action against it.
Handing over of plot in final stages, ABIL had said in December 2018
In December 2018, Amit Bhosale, managing director, Avinash Bhosale Infrastructure Ltd (ABIL), confirmed that the company would be handing over the plot reserved for a public playground to the Pune Municipal Corporation in the coming weeks. “We have built the boundary wall, flattened the ground and also added a football turf where children often play. Since the land was reserved for a playground, we have completed the work that is due for ‘tabeyadi’ (handing over) and now, within two weeks, we will sign the final agreement with the PMC. The playground is approximately 26,000 to 28,000 sq ft,” Bhosale said.
Quotes
“I am unaware of the latest ground situation regarding the plot. I will update you once I get the details from the junior officer incharge.”
-Anil Muley, head, PMC establishment department
Despite PMC owning the land, some private person is running commercial sports activity on the plot and civic administration is not taking any action.
-Parshuram Wadekar, leader, Republican Party of India (RPI-Athawale)
