Pune: Encroachment Tensions Rise in Wakad’s Shankar Kalat Nagar; PCMC Notice Fails to Halt Construction

Wakad, 17th December 2023: An encroachment issue has come to light near Shonest Tower in Shankar Kalat Nagar, Wakad. The dispute revolves around a small tea shop that has been operating just outside the society for the past five years. However, the situation escalated recently when the tea shop owner began construction and excavation activities.

Upon questioning by concerned residents of Shonest Tower, the tea shop owner asserted that he possesses valid documents (7/12 extract) for the disputed area and insisted that his actions are legal. Residents, unconvinced by the owner’s claims, took the matter into their own hands and penned a letter to both the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) and the Pimpri Chinchwad Police Commissionerate (PCPC).

In addition to the written complaint, society members utilized the PCMC Smart Sarathi app to register their grievances, seeking prompt intervention from the authorities. However, despite the complaints, the PCMC has yet to take concrete actions, with the only response being the issuance of a notice to the chai stall owner.

Vivek Deorankar, a resident of Shonest Tower, expressed dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs, stating to Punekar News, “PCMC has sent a notice, but the construction is ongoing. We demand immediate action. The tea shop owner claims the area is his, but it’s not. It belongs to the society, and this is a clear case of encroachment.”

Voicing the collective concerns of housing society residents, the Vice President of Pimpri Chinchwad Cooperative Housing Societies Federation Sachin Londhe said, “PCMC’s silence is deafening. Our homes shouldn’t be overrun by encroachments. We demand quick action to fix this.”