Shiv Sena leader asserts progress in long-standing demand, awaiting official confirmation.
In a significant development, Shrirang Barne, Mahayuti candidate and Shiv Sena leader affiliated with the Eknath Shinde faction, announced that the Defence Ministry has acceded to the demand for reducing the red zone around the Dehu Road ammunition depot. This decision, if implemented, is expected to bring relief to residents affected by the red zone in areas like Rawet and Kiwale.
Barne attributed this breakthrough to his meeting with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, where he advocated for the urgent resolution of the red zone issue. While the announcement is welcomed by affected residents, official orders confirming the reduction of the red zone are awaited from the local authorities.
The Dehu Road ammunition depot’s red zone, governed by the Works of Defence Act, 1903, has imposed restrictions on construction within a 2,000-yard radius, impacting several neighborhoods in Pimpri-Chinchwad, including Nigdi, Chikhli, and Talawade.
The lack of precise demarcation and enumeration of properties within the red zone poses a challenge for the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) in enforcing regulations. With over six thousand unauthorized residential and commercial establishments in this zone, the PCMC has initiated efforts to measure and delineate the red zones, including those around the Dehu Road and Dighi ammunition depots.
An anonymous PCMC official confirmed ongoing efforts to delineate the red zones, underscoring the significance of addressing the concerns of residents in affected areas.
