Tejas Navale
Pune, May 17, 2025: Following the Supreme Court’s refusal to stay the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) order, the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) on Wednesday began demolishing 36 bungalows built illegally within the blue floodline of the Indrayani River in Chikhali. The action comes amid heavy police deployment and visible public outrage from affected residents, who allege municipal negligence and corruption.
The demolition, which began early this morning, is being carried out in compliance with the NGT’s directive issued in July 2024. The tribunal had declared the bungalows illegal for encroaching into the environmentally sensitive blue line zone of the river and had instructed the PCMC to act within a six-month deadline. The bungalow owners, hoping for relief, had then challenged the order in the Supreme Court. However, their appeal was dismissed, effectively upholding the NGT’s verdict and clearing the way for PCMC’s action.
Despite the legal clarity, the demolition drive has triggered a fresh wave of public anger and confusion. Local residents, many of whom had legally purchased the plots years ago, are questioning why the municipal authorities remained silent during the initial construction phase. “Where was the PCMC when these structures were coming up? Why give us permissions, water, electricity, and gas connections, only to tear our homes down now?” asked a visibly distraught resident, adding that municipal officials “took money from them and turned a blind eye.”
Another resident alleged that they were duped by builders who presented falsified documents showing the land as part of a residential zone. “We bought the land in good faith. It is the system that has failed us,” he added. Critics argue that selective enforcement and delayed action only punish end-users while the root of the problem — builder-politician nexus and corrupt officials — remains untouched.
Speaking on the issue, PCMC Commissioner Shekhar Singh stated, “The NGT had directed us to act, and with the Supreme Court now rejecting the appeal, we are bound to follow the law. The structures fall in a high-risk flood-prone area, and this action is being taken ahead of the monsoon to prevent a disaster.” He further urged citizens to verify land permissions before purchasing any property, particularly in ecologically sensitive zones.
