The municipal administration of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar has confirmed that the road from Champa Chowk to Jalna Road will be widened to 100 feet, as per the 2001 Development Plan (DP). A resolution to this effect has already been passed, and a total station survey and ground marking will be carried out soon. Municipal administrator G Sreekanth made this announcement on Friday, while addressing concerned citizens at Champa Masjid, where many had gathered, some waiting for over two hours in the rain, including former corpо-rators and local leaders.
Amid growing confusion and speculation about the road-widening project, the administrator sought to clarify doubts about alignment changes in the revised 2025 DP. He clarified that while the new DP proposed a 100-ft width from Damdi Mahal to Jinsi Chowk and 60-ft from Jinsi Chowk to Jalna Road, the administration would proceed strictly according to the 2001 DP, which designates the entire stretch as 100 feet wide.
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"We will not tolerate obstruction to the 2001 p said Sreekanth. "This ro vital for the revitalisatie the old city. It will also attract foreign tourists are drawn to the region's culinary heritage."
Approximately 700 properties in localities, including Jinsi, Sanjaynagar, Dada Colony, Kailasnagar, and Dutt Colony, are expected to be impacted. Property owners with valid ownership documents will be eligible for Transferable Development Rights (TDRs). Many have already received TDRs based on the old DP alignment, adding to the controversy surrounding the proposed change in the 2025 DP.
Residents fear that deviating from the original alignment could invalidate earlier TDRs or create legal complications. Some property owners have even taken the matter to Court, questioning the viability and fairness of the revised plan. The administrator said those rendered homeless by the project will be provided with rehabilitation housing worth 1 lakh. Additionally, TDR rates will be revised upwards, said the official, urging citizens not to worry.
In a powerful emotional appeal, Sreekanth recalled the tragic fire incident that took place in Cantonment on April 3, 2023, during Ramzan, in which seven people lost their lives. He read out the victims' names and said the fire brigade couldn't access the site due to narrow lanes. "Such incidents are unforgivable, and we must not allow them to happen again. Wider roads are not just about development, they're about saving lives," he added.