36 unauthorised bungalows razed along Indrayani river bank

Hindustan Times

18-05-2025

In a long-anticipated and high-impact anti-encroachment drive, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) on Saturday demolished 36 illegal bungalows from the River Villa project, located within the blue flood line of the Indrayani River in Chikhali. The entire operation was completed in under ten hours.
Acting on the orders of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), officials and personnel from the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), along with a heavy police force, reached the River Villa project in Chikhali village in the morning. The demolition drive, which began around 6 am under heavy police protection, lasted for around 5 pm when all the riverside structures were brought down using a large number of earthmovers.
According to officials, the civic body razed the river-facing bungalows spread across 63,970 sq ft (7,245 sq metres) in Survey No. 90. A total of 18 excavators and three earthmovers were deployed for the operation. Despite opposition from local BJP leaders, PCMC officials went ahead with the action, citing directives from the Supreme Court.
Water and electricity connections to the bungalows were disconnected a day before the drive. While some residents began packing and shifting belongings on Friday, others remained on site until the morning of the action.
Municipal commissioner Shekhar Singh supervised the demolition, with senior PCMC officials, including additional commissioner Pradeep Jambhale-Patil, city engineer Makarand Nikam, and deputy commissioners Manoj Lonkar and Rajesh Aghale present at the site.
Police presence
The Pimpri-Chinchwad police commissionerate ensured tight security, with the police team led by deputy commissioners Dr Shivaji Pawar and Bapusaheb Bangar, assistant commissioner Anil Koli, and senior inspector Vitthal Salunkhe.
The large-scale operation involved a formidable task force: 7 Executive Engineers, 22 Deputy Engineers, 22 Junior Engineers, 22 Beat Inspectors, 168 Maharashtra Security Force personnel, over 400 police officials, and 120 labourers. The civic body deployed 15 Poklane machines, 3 earthmovers, 2 fire engines, and 4 ambulances to support the operation.
Speaking to Hindustan Times, Singh said, 'The civic body had previously warned citizens to check the development plan (DP) and ensure approvals before investing. The DP is available online. Approved plots are more expensive, but people often take risks to save money.'
'It's not as though all buyers were unaware. Many knew the plots were unauthorised but believed someone could 'manage' the issue. Ultimately, it's the citizens' responsibility to verify all permissions before investing,' he added.
Mahesh Patil, one of the affected homeowners, said he had invested over ₹1.25 crore in building his bungalow. 'We have no savings left. We're a family of 14 and now have nowhere to go. I'm under heavy debt with a monthly EMI of ₹68,000,' he said.
Petition filed
The case stems from a petition filed before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) by citizens opposing construction within the blue flood line of the Indrayani River. On July 1, 2024, the tribunal directed PCMC to take strict action and gave residents six months to respond. A joint committee also imposed ₹5 crore as External Development Charges (EDC) to be recovered from the developers and owners, the civic body said in a statement.
Following legal proceedings, the matter reached the Supreme Court, which dismissed a civil appeal on May 5, 2025, clearing the way for demolitions. A last-minute attempt by the bungalow owners to obtain an interim stay from the Bombay High Court on Friday also failed.
Lawyers representing the affected residents argued that while land transactions were legally executed, the issue was with the status of the construction.
Advocates Yogendra Kumar and Arun Longani, who are representing homeowners, said the Bombay High Court had allowed an urgent hearing, but did not grant interim relief. 'Our writ petition is pending and will be heard on June 9,' they said.
Undertakings
According to them, residents had submitted undertakings to PCMC stating they would either demolish the structures themselves or vacate and hand over possession if a fresh flood line survey confirmed the illegality.
The River Villa bungalows—primarily owned by middle-class families—were built over two decades, starting in the late 1990s and continuing until 2020.
Earlier, on July 1, 2024, the NGT had directed PCMC to demolish 29 bungalows and other illegal structures within six months and recover ₹5 crore as environmental compensation. Though the Supreme Court initially stayed the NGT order, it later upheld it in full.
Meanwhile, many residents claim they were misled by the developer, who had assured them that the plots fell in a residential zone. 'We were given water and electricity connections by the corporation. If the construction was illegal, why didn't they act earlier? We've put our life savings into these homes,' said one of the affected owners.