Pune: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) construction department on Saturday (July 6) took action against illegal encroachments, clearing approximately 30,000 square feet in areas including Kothrud, Paud Road, Gopal Krishna Gokhale Road (Fergusson Road), Hadapsar, and Solapur Road. This move has dealt a significant blow to hotel owners conducting unauthorized business in the front and side margins of buildings.
The PMC has recently intensified its actions against unauthorized constructions, particularly targeting pubs, hotels, restaurants, and rooftop establishments.
Following the Kalyaninagar accident incident, around 350,000 square feet of illegal structures on rooftops and other areas have been demolished.
In Kothrud, actions were taken against encroachments in front and side margins of hotels and restaurants near Ashish Garden Chowk and Paud Road.
The establishments affected included Khandeshi Tadka, Khana Junction, Oxygen Café, Bluestick Pool, Anand Fast Food, Mamta Paratha, Chai Adda, and Samruddhi Dining Hall. Similarly, in Hadapsar, on Handewadi Road, Solapur Road, and Sade Sataranali, illegal structures in 11 locations, including rooftop hotels, bars, and restaurants, were demolished, totaling around 19,000 square feet.
In some areas like Deccan Gymkhana, Shivajinagar, and Apte Road, while actions were taken against hotels operating in the front margins, certain establishments appeared to have been spared.
It was observed that some hotels, operating in parking spaces and front margins, continued to park their vehicles on the road without facing any action. Additionally, some businesses reportedly resumed operations by setting up temporary sheds the day after the PMC's action.
Recently, PMC had taken action against 20 unauthorized shops operating at the JM Corner food court on Jangli Maharaj Road. The demolition has cleared an area of 3,000 square feet. During this operation, action was taken against approximately 144 establishments.
In September 2023, the PMC building construction department had dismantled unauthorized sheds on the terrace and in the backyard of Hotel Vaishali.