Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
The Municipal Corporation’s Town Planning Department began fresh marking work on Friday for the widening of VIP Road from Mahavir Chowk to Labour Colony. The proposed expansion, as per the city development plan, aims to increase the road width to 35 metres (around 115 feet), affecting 91 properties many of them commercial.
According to civic records, the stretch will impact:
• Residential properties: 06
• Commercial units: 64
• Mixed-use structures: 21
Although the demolition drive has been on hold for the past eight days, loudspeaker announcements and pre-marking work have continued in multiple areas.
Earlier this week, announcements were made from Champa Chowk to Jalna Road a route where road alignment changes are currently under legal scrutiny. Citizens have raised concerns as the original 100-foot road has been reduced to 60 feet in the latest draft plan. Similarly, announcements and markings were carried out along Jatwada Road and for a 30-metre-wide main road in Naregaon. Markings near Aamkhas Maidan and the Kile Ark area had already signaled further property loss. Friday's fresh markings intensified public anxiety, especially among owners and tenants of commercial establishments. So far, nearly 5,000 structures have been razed across the city as part of the road-widening campaign, many of them unauthorized. The financial blow to affected families, traders, and property owners has sparked widespread concern. While the administration maintains the drive is part of the city’s long-term infrastructure plan, citizens are calling for transparency, fair compensation, and clarity on road alignment disputes still pending in court.