HADAPSAR: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) took action against unauthorised constructions and demolished 43,000 sq foot shed on the road from Bhairobanala to Shewalewadi on the Pune Solapur highway. The action was taken by the Anti-Encroachment Department, Road Department and Building Department. Roadside shops made up of sheds, paan shops and hoardings were removed with the help of JCBs.
The Solapur highway has become free of encroachments. There was a huge police bandobast and 200 civic employees and officials took part in the drive. The drive was carried out throughout the day.
There was large scale encroachment by shopkeepers on both sides of the Pune-Solapur Road. The drive was carried out from 7.30 am to 6 pm. The shopkeepers were taken aback by the drive which began early in the morning. Civic officials pulled down illegal sheds, paan kiosks, front margins of shops and hoardings by using JCB.
The PMC had formed four teams and action was taken at almost 450 places. Additional Municipal Commissioner Vikas Dhakne, City Encroachment Officer Madhav Jagtap, Superintendent Engineer of Building Department Yuvraj Deshmukh, Deputy Commissioner of zone 4 Prasad Katkar, Assistant Commissioner of Wanawadi and Hadapsar ward officer Balasaheb Dhavle, Ward Encroachment Officer Subhash Talekar, Deputy Engineer Hanumant Khalate, Encroachment Officer Dhammanand Gaikwad, Sanjay Jadhav, Rajesh Dhage, Building Branch Engineer Shramik Shevte, Sudhir Satbhai and other engineers took part in the drive. Two hundred and fifty employees, 60 security men and police took part in the drive and four JCB and four gas cutters were used by the Encroachment Department.
