Pune: PMC Conducts Anti Encroachment Drive In Mohammadwadi

Kondhwa, 25 February 2021: The Anti-Encroachment Squad (AES) of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) carried out a drive in Mohammadwadi on February 24 for the first time and sent a message that encroachments on footpaths and other public places will not be tolerated.

Besides removing public encroachments, the AES squad trained its guns on a kiosk that was kept on the footpath near Gemini Housing Society and took it in a tempo.

Residents welcomed the move and said that a well-built person with long hairs had put the kiosk on the footpath near the illegal auto stand with support from the auto drivers and was planning to capture the footpath space for himself and his associates. In the picture shot, the concerned owner of the illegal kiosk is seen standing near the van which towed away from the illegal kiosk.

Manjusha Kulkarni, a resident of Mohammadwadi, said that the auto drivers had illegally constructed a stand which was causing severe issues related to traffic jams, loud music playing at 7 pm, haphazard parking auto-rickshaws, ogling at women and young girls. They alleged that the auto drivers, two of them, had stolen tiles from the footpath near Ganga Kingston and installed them around a tree near the illegal auto stand so that pedestrians find it difficult to use the footpath.

Senior Citizen Bhagyashree Lonare said, “There are elements who want to occupy the public spaces in Mohammadwadi and footpaths are their targets. The citizens must be vigilant about the anti-social elements who can take over these spaces and cause a major nuisance to peace loving people of the area. We demand police action against these encroachers who plan to take over the open spaces in our area for illegal commercial activities.”

A few days ago, the residents of Gemini society had complained to Kondhwa Police Station about the arrogant behaviour of the auto drivers who had erected an illegal roof and illegal sitting structure on the footpath. Mohammadwadi residents have requested the police to take strict action against those elements engaged in occupying the footpath outside the amenity space near Gemini Society and demanded police cases against the miscreants.

Earlier, Mohammadwadi residents had taken video shootings and pictures of criminals gangs operating on the road who took law in their hands. Currently, speeding motorcycle youths and car drivers are cruising at enormous speeds. Residents said that their lives were under threat from speedsters and police were lax in their approach.