PMC bulldozes 500 unapproved flats, leaving several homeless

Anger and despair gripped residents of 11 buildings in Ambegaon Budruk on Thursday after the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) demolished nearly 500 apartments they had purchased just two years ago. The action, taken against unapproved construction, has drawn sharp criticism for its timing and impact on families left homeless. Around 60 to 70 families residing in the buildings were ordered to evacuate abruptly on the morning of December 28, 2023. Many had bought the flats at discounted prices, lured by the possibility of owning a home despite limited financial resources. One resident, a 30-year-old IT worker, recounted waking up after his night shift to find authorities demanding they leave their home, declared an "unapproved structure." He described scrambling to gather belongings as the building started coming down. "We knew about the project's status, and the builder kept us updated," he said. "We completed a Power of Attorney agreement due to registration delays, but we were paying installments on a loan at 14% interest." He lamented leaving his laptop behind and feeling trapped by the suddenness of the eviction.

Similar stories echoed throughout the demolished buildings. Sneha (name changed), a 19-year-old engineering student, missed her exam after being forced to leave without her hall ticket. Families spoke of lacking time to collect belongings, essential documents, and even vehicles parked in the building's garage. Adding to the residents' pain was the knowledge that the structure, first flagged for unauthorized construction in 2021, was allowed to progress unhindered for years. One of the residents, a  autorickshaw driver who purchased a flat in the building did not even get a chance to take his rickshaw, after the authorities refused. Sharing his ordeal he said, my daily bread and butter is dependent on it, I have to bear a huge loss even if I miss a single day.  

Former corporator Arvind Shinde filed a complaint with Municipal Commissioner Vikram Kumar, expressing his displeasure with the PMC's handling of the matter. Shinde questioned why, although notifications were initially sent out in 2021, nothing was done to stop development, which led to the completion of about 500 inhabited apartments by 2023. Questions arose about how water connections and electricity meters were sanctioned if the project was illegal. Many residents belonged to middle and lower-middle-class families, drawn to the discounted flats despite knowing the project's uncertain status. Residents accuse the corporation of negligence and callousness, questioning why swift action wasn't taken earlier instead of allowing families to invest their life savings in doomed homes.