Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
On Monday, the municipal corporation launched a major demolition drive on Paithan Road to widen it to 60 meters. Between 11 am and 5.30 pm, a total of 477 unauthorised properties were demolished. Around 300 municipal corporation staff and 200 police personnel participated in the operation. The areas of Kanchanwadi and Nakshatrawadi saw the highest number of demolitions. On Tuesday morning, further action is planned on the right side of Paithan Road.
Earlier, on Jalna Road, the corporation had demolished 1,364 unauthorised structures between Cambridge Chowk and Mukundwadi. After completing that operation, the focus shifted to Paithan Road, starting with demolitions on the left side. Five teams were deployed at 500-meter intervals along the road.
The first target was the hotel owned by former mayor Nandkumar Ghodele at Mahanubhav Ashram Chowk. The hotel’s frontage was demolished using a JCB. The boundary wall and part of the temple at Mahanubhav Ashram were also within the marked demolition area, but the ashram’s management began removing the construction voluntarily.
The school at the ashram and some business establishments in the area were granted an extension until August 15, as they had valid building permissions. Many hotels at the Waluj Link Road Chowk were demolished, while in sparsely constructed areas, some builders voluntarily removed structures like tin sheets and hoardings.
In Kanchanwadi, the drive targeted lodges, shops, sheds, compound walls, platforms, garages, washing centers, medical stores, and daily needs stores. Advertising boards, including those at the municipal petrol pump, were also taken down. The demolition extended up to Nisarg Nursery, just before Gevrai village, on the left side of the road.
Officials present during the action include deputy director (Town Planning) Manoj Garje, assistant commissioner of police (ACP) Ranjeet Patil, deputy municipal commissioner
Savita Sonawane, assistant municipal commissioner, Arjun Giram, Prajakta Wanjari, Archana Rajput, Ramesh More, Sanjay Suradkar, Ashok Giri, Samiullah, Bharat Birare, Rahul Jadhav, Naim Ansari, among others.
More action today
On Tuesday, the operation will continue on the right side of Paithan Road. Municipal Administrator G Sreekanth and Police Commissioner Praveen Pawar closely monitored Monday's operations.
Less equipment than Jalna Road operation
Compared to the Jalna Road drive, fewer vehicles were used on Paithan Road. They include 10 JCBs, 4 Poclain machines, 15 tippers, 2 ambulances, 2 mobile vans to transport stray animals, 2 fire tenders and 4 electric hydraulic vehicles for the task.