Representative ImagePuneA group of residents of Sangavi, who claim they may be affected by it PCMCplans to start a demolition drive Against construction in blue floodlines, a ‘has formed’Blue Line Residents Defense Committee‘ to fight against this move.
Residents claim that the municipal corporation should build a wall along the river bank instead of demolishing their houses that have been built 30-40 years ago, as many have spent their life’s earnings in building houses or buying flats in the area.
Residents in Sangamnagar area of Sangvi have put up a banner stating that they will vote against candidates of the ruling political parties. Pimpri Chinchwad If their demands are not met. It is worth noting that Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has identified over 2,500 structures in the Blue Floodline areas in both the cities during its ongoing survey, and plans to demolish these buildings as they fall in the no-construction zone.
A senior member of the residents’ committee said they have conveyed their concerns to the chief minister. Eknath Shinde and deputy chief ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar. “Fadnavis’ office has said the matter has been forwarded to the chief secretary of the urban development department for further action,” a member of the committee told the Times of India.
“We have formed local-level committees for different areas. If they do not intervene and get our demands met, the members will campaign against the three sitting MLAs of Pimpri Chinchwad ahead of the assembly elections as their parties are in power in the state. Besides, we are also approaching candidates from opposition parties if they promise to help us if they win the election,” he said.
Yuvaraj Bille, another member of the committee, said, “The civic authorities should build a retaining wall around the river instead of demolishing residential structures in which people have been living for decades and on which they have spent their life savings. Many residents are poor and have no other place to live.”
Reacting to the uproar, Pimpri Chinchwad BJP city president Shankar Jagtap – who is hoping for an election ticket from Chinchwad – said, “Our party functionaries met the residents on Sunday and assured them that we will find a way to address their concerns. We have told them that we will not allow their houses to be demolished.”
A senior NCP (SCP) leader, who did not wish to be named, said, “We will meet the municipal commissioner and urge him to find a way to protect the homes of these residents.”
