Pune: 943 illegal religious structures to be razed

Margashirsh Shukla Navami, Kaliyug Varsha 5112

Pune (Maharashtra) : The Pune Municipal Corporation will undertake a time-bound drive, with the help of police, to bring down the unauthorised religious structures encroaching on roads, gardens, hills and plots reserved for civic amenities in the city. The action against such structures, numbering a staggering 943, follows a government resolution issued in October.

Early this year, the Supreme Court had directed the state government to initiate action against such structures. A committee, which is headed by the Municipal Commissioner and has police commissioner and the district collector as members, met on Tuesday to chalk out a plan on implementation of the Supreme Court directive and government resolution. The PMC had carried out a survey in February to ascertain the unauthorised religious structures. The 943 illegal structures include 38 in the jurisdiction of Pune rural police, 461 in zone one, 223 in zone two, 70 in zone three and 151 in zone four.

“A priority list for action has been prepared for the drive and the focus will be on removing 532 strucutres that exist on city roads and footpaths,” said Ramesh Shelar, incharge of anti-encroachment department, PMC.

“Around 40 unauthorised religious structures will be removed this month,” he said, adding that the action would be decided every month depending on the availability of the police force.

Source: The Financial Express