Pune: Residents Accuse Government of Favoring Builders in Bibvewadi Hill Top/Hill Slope Issue
Reported by Tikam Shekhawat
Bibvewadi, 29th July 2024: Residents of Bibvewadi have raised allegations against the Maharashtra state government, accusing it of favoring developers by converting certain Hill Top/Hill Slope plots into residential areas. This decision, however, does not extend to plots with poor and middle-class housing, leaving them within the restricted Hill Top/Hill Slope zones.
The Hill Top/Hill Slope reservation prohibits any new construction on the designated plots, and existing structures are deemed illegal. Much of Bibvewadi’s land was designated as Hill Top/Hill Slope in the Pune Development Plan of 1987. This move sparked considerable debate, particularly since many of the affected areas are home to slums. The decision to enforce these reservations was postponed in 2018 due to public outcry.
Recently, the state government revisited the issue by seeking the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) opinion on 11 plots owned by bigwigs and other developers in 2023. Vikram Kumar, the then Municipal Commissioner of PMC, approved the removal of these plots from the Hill Top/Hill Slope designation.
Following PMC’s approval, the state government issued an order inviting objections and suggestions to cancel the reservation of three plots located in the Hill Top/Hill Slope area. These plots, owned by Sanjay Bafna and later sold to companies operated by developer Sachin Ishwar Chand Goyal, cover nearly 7 acres and have a development potential of Rs 2,100 crore.
Residents believe two additional plots owned by Mukesh Yeole and Sanjay Shah are also likely to be removed from the Hill Top/Hill Slope designation. The combined development potential of these plots exceeds several hundred crores.
Local residents argue that the government’s actions show a clear bias toward wealthy developers and landowners. While constructions on Hill Top/Hill Slope plots are typically considered illegal and subject to demolition, residents of these areas are burdened with property taxes three times the regular rate. In contrast, large developer-owned plots are being reclassified as residential zones.
Residents claim that their homes are frequently targeted by the PMC under the guise of enforcing Hill Top/Hill Slope regulations, while developers’ plots are de-reserved and allowed to transition to residential status. This discrepancy has fueled accusations of favoritism and injustice.
