Pune: Illegal Structure Inside Joggers Park Demolished After Mangala Kadam-Mahesh Landge Controversy

Chikhali, 20th May 2026: Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) on Wednesday demolished an alleged illegal religious structure coming up inside Joggers Park in Shivtejnagar, Chikhali, days after the issue triggered a political controversy involving former mayor Mangala Kadam and BJP corporator Yogita Nagargoje.

The demolition drive was carried out by the civic body’s F regional office in Ward No. 11, during which nearly 1,500 square metres of encroached public land was cleared, officials said.

For the operation, the civic body deployed 57 Maharashtra Security Force personnel from F, A and K regional offices, along with 17 encroachment police personnel. Six JCB machines, eight labourers and three drivers were used during the demolition process.

PCMC commissioner Vijay Suryawanshi said the civic body would continue strict action against encroachments on public spaces.

“Keeping public spaces, gardens and open grounds reserved for citizens free from encroachments is the primary responsibility of the municipal corporation. There will be no compromise against unauthorised constructions and encroachments,” he said.

The controversy had erupted after Yogita Nagargoje, a BJP Corporator objected to the construction, alleging that the structure was being built illegally on public amenity space inside the garden. The issue later snowballed into a political row after NCP leader and former mayor Mangala Kadam, who had allegedly backed the construction activity, publicly confronted BJP MLA Mahesh Landge over the matter.

In a video that went viral on social media, Kadam was heard accusing Landge of supporting Nagargoje’s demand for demolition despite receiving her political support for nearly 15 years. The remarks triggered political debate in Pimpri Chinchwad, with several local leaders interpreting them as exposing internal faultlines within the NCP. NCP leader Parth Pawar had also reacted to the controversy on social media, calling it the “bitter truth” of Pimpri Chinchwad politics.

According to civic officials, the demolition drive was carried out under the directions of municipal commissioner Dr Vijay Suryawanshi and supervision of additional commissioner Tripti Sandbhor. Deputy commissioner Atul Patil, administrative officer Mahadev Bore, deputy engineer Kiran Sagar, junior engineer Pratap More and junior engineer Vaibhav Vitkare from the garden and sports department were among the officials present during the operation.

Officials from the unauthorised construction control department, including beat inspectors Sakshi Jambhulkar, Nikita Bhoite, Vikas Warbhuvan and Rupak Shingare, also participated in the drive.