Now, a squad to track illegal structures on city outskirts
Indian Express: With an eye on curbing illegal constructions on the city’s outskirts, the district administration has formed a squad, to be headed by the deputy collector, to look into the matter. The State Urban Development Department and the district collectorate have undertaken the task of identifying the unauthorised structures.
“A proposal has been sent to the state government and once they clear it, we will start collecting fine while the municipal authorities under the development control rules have the right to pull down the structures,” said resident deputy collector Anil Pawar.
He said a team under the deputy collector, three town planners, tehsildar and clerks will form the squad for this drive. “They will identify the unauthorised buildings in the area. Under Section 143 of the Maharashtra Region Town Planning Act they can fine the owners,” he added.
The proposal has been forwarded to the state government for sanctions. Budgetary provision for the special squad too has been demanded. A senior officer from the district collectorate said this could take a month or even six months depending on the bureaucratic delay. “Once the proposal gets a nod, the squad can be readied and can identifying the structures,” he said.
Another senior officer said this was the first time that such a drive was being carried out.
“There are many illegal such structures as the builders take permissions from gram panchayat or gram sevak which is not allowed. All these buildings will have to cough up huge fine,” he said.
When asked on political interference, he said it will not be there as the UDD prinicipal secretary has issued orders that no unauthorised building should be spared.
Hundreds of unauthorised constructions dot the city outskirts and the joint initiative will look at pulling down these structures. The drive is to implement the development control (DC) rules to areas upto 10 km from the civic limits.
Though development regulations for the areas within municipal limits have been modified from time to time, the DC rules for areas within the Pune region were not modified in respect of height of the building and parking provisions.
The notification said: “…the DC regulations for the areas within the municipal limits have been modified from time to time but the DC rules for areas within the Pune region have not been modified in respect of height of the building and parking provisions… It was therefore felt necessary to have a homogenous development of the areas adjoining these municipal corporation limits and to have proper planned development of the areas within 10 kms from the boundaries of PMC and PCMC.”
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