Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
Under the road widening campaign, a team from the municipal corporation and police arrived at Ambedkarnagar on Jalgaon Road on Tuesday at 2.30 pm. The team faced strong opposition from local men, women, youth, and even some political leaders. The situation was tense until Municipal Corporation Administrator G Sreekanth assured the affected property owners of rehabilitation, and promised to reconstruct the Buddha Vihar and its entrance arch. After this, the tension gradually subsided. Accordingly, the drive started at a slow pace at 5 pm and the affected properties were demolished till 7 pm.
Details of the Operation
Jalgaon Road is 60 meters (200 feet) wide, and the Town Planning section had previously done the necessary markings. Most property owners had already removed their belongings from the affected structures. The demolition began at 11.30 am from Harsul T-point and reached Ambedkarnagar Square by 2.30 pm. Initially, there were allegations of incorrect marking, so the municipal officials re-verified the markings. A large crowd of locals gathered, and many, including former corporators Amit Bhuigal and Arun Borde, demanded rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Vihara and its arch. As the tension escalated, special police forces were deployed, and drone surveillance was used to monitor the situation. The police made efforts to disperse the crowd.
As the situation started to go out of control, Municipal Administrator G Sreekanth arrived on the scene, followed shortly by Police Commissioner Pravin Pawar. Both officials held discussions with political leaders, activists, and citizens, helping to ease the tension.
Use of emergency powers
The administrator announced that the Buddha Vihar and its entrance gate would be rebuilt using emergency powers (section 67-3C) without going through the usual tender process. He also stated that those displaced by the widening would be rehabilitated under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), and made it clear that the campaign would not be halted.
Demolition Action
At 5 pm, a JCB began demolishing one of the structures in Ambedkarnagar Square. The work started slowly but gained momentum later. Only commercial properties were demolished on the first day, while residential properties have been given a deadline till August 15. The demolition work extended up to the Kala Ganpati temple.