Pune, 7th August 2026: Raising concerns over rapid hill cutting across Pune, Standing Committee Chairman Shreenath Bhimale has directed the civic administration to immediately stop construction activities on hills in Bavdhan, Market Yard, Dhayari and Katraj. He said unchecked excavation is posing a serious threat to the city's environment and natural landscape.
During a Standing Committee meeting, Bhimale said the increasing number of hill-cutting and excavation projects requires urgent scrutiny. He instructed officials to investigate all ongoing developments and suspend work until detailed reports are submitted.
If any construction permissions have been granted in violation of rules, they should be cancelled immediately, he said.
Bhimale also asked the administration to prepare GIS-based mapping of all hills in Pune and develop a dedicated conservation plan to protect them.
He questioned whether the required approvals from the environment, revenue and town planning departments had been obtained before excavation began and whether studies on natural water flow and landslide risks had been conducted.
Bhimale said that even if land falls under a residential zone in the Development Plan, it does not give developers the right to flatten hills. He noted that complaints have been received regarding violations of the prescribed 1:5 slope norms and stressed that environmental protection must take priority over development.
Bhimale said he will write to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis seeking a clear state policy to prevent excavation on existing hills solely because they are located within residential zones. He warned that altering the natural shape of hills increases the risk of landslides and demanded strict action against those responsible for illegal hill cutting.
