Pune, 13th July 2023: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is preparing to demolish an unauthorized RCC structure that has been erected within the restricted zone near the bomb dump of the Pune Air Force Station in Lohegaon. The structure, measuring 20m by 10m, stands on a 200sqm plot of land and falls within 900m of the weapon storage area.
The request for demolition came from the officer in charge of the land management cell at the Indian Air Force station (AFS) in Pune, who wrote to the PMC on July 4. The structure in question consists of RCC columns raised on a plinth.
According to the letter from the AFS, a routine inspection revealed the presence of illegal construction near the weapon storage area at survey number 135/1 and 135/2 in Forest Park phase 1. This area is within the restricted zone of 900m from the outer parapet of the AFS Pune boundary wall.
The letter further mentioned that the construction of houses, buildings, or planting of trees is prohibited within the restricted zone of 100/900m from the outer parapet of the AFS Pune boundary wall, as per a public notice issued by the district collector of Pune on April 9, 2008.
This incident follows a similar occurrence on September 30, 2022, when the PMC demolished two buildings within the restricted zone after receiving a notice from the AFS.
Eknath Gadekar, Deputy Engineer of the PMC’s building development department, explained that a notice was issued at the site on July 10, instructing the landowners to demolish the structure within 24 hours. As the landowners failed to take any action within the given timeframe, the PMC will proceed with the demolition on Friday.
PMC officials have issued a warning to the public against purchasing land plots within the restricted zone of the AFS. Official reports indicate that there are multiple land pockets across 17 survey numbers in the vicinity of the bomb dump in Lohegaon.
Gadekar emphasized that the PMC works in coordination with the air force authorities to monitor construction activities within the restricted survey numbers. The PMC strictly adheres to the guidelines that prohibit any construction within the restricted zone. Individuals are urged to comply with the guidelines issued by the district collector in 2008.
A senior PMC official stated, “Many private landowners have divided their land into plots and sold them over the past few years without disclosing the restrictions to the buyers. Problems arise when buyers initiate construction on such plots, leading to necessary action by the authorities.”
