CSMC raze down hundreds of properties without ‘panchanama’

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

The Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation (CSMC) demolished 1,364 properties on Jalna Road without conducting any official inspection or panchanama. On Monday, a similar demolition drive was carried out on Paithan Road. No formal records were made by the authorities, and the names of the property owners were also not noted. Houses and shops were razed down citing them as unauthorised constructions. Now, the affected property owners are demanding compensation, especially in cases where the demolished properties were on legally owned land.

From Mukundwadi to Cambridge, the road is said to be 60 meters wide, and under that claim, unauthorised properties were demolished. For the third consecutive day, a demolition campaign was conducted on Paithan Road, targeting properties in the name of developing a service road. However, during these demolitions, no official panchanama was done by the municipal corporation.

Previously, during other road widening campaigns by the municipality, panchanama was always done and the affected parties were compensated in the form of TDR (Transfer of Development Rights). This process of panchanama is crucial to receive such compensation.

Surprisingly, Santosh Wahule, the head of the anti-encroachment cell, was unaware that it was necessary to conduct such panchanamas. On Monday, while carrying out the drive on Paithan Road, officials from the Krishi Vidynan Kendra and WALMI (Water and Land Management Institute) expressed readiness to provide land. However, they asked what compensation would be given in return, as government offices cannot provide land without receiving compensation.

Upon realising the issue, Wahule immediately instructed the officers and staff involved in the demolition campaign through phone to start conducting proper panchanamas.