Pune: Electricity distribution boxes, light poles, chamber lids and illegal
religious structures, the footpaths in the city seem to have room for everything except the pedestrians.
Of all these, unauthorized religious structures are the most sensitive, relocation and removal of which create quite a stir among political and social circles. However, pedestrians want the civic authorities to take stringent action against such structures. "Drives should be conducted from time to time to ensure that such structures do not crop up on the footpaths again," they said.
Samir Kulkarni from Kothrud said though sentiments of people are attached to such structures, they should be built at proper places, instead of encroaching on public spaces like footpaths. "These structure can encourage illegal parking of vehicles or unauthorised stalls. Being a sensitive matter, even civic authorities and police take a relatively soft stand. But this approach should change," he said.
Civic activists said Pune Municipal Corporation has adopted a very casual approach towards illegal religious structures occupying space on footpaths. "They have turned a blind eye to it," they alleged.
According to bank employee Sunil Mane, the issue should be taken seriously by authorities concerned. "The city's population has been on the rise with hundreds of new vehicles hitting the roads every day. The footpaths and streets are already occupied. The time has come for the authorities to come up with a proper plan to ensure that religious structures come up only at designated places," he said.
Sources in the civic body said the administration was looking into cases of illegal religious structures. They said many such structures have been shifted from the middle of the roads and footpaths to another locations after following due procedures.
In 2016, PMC had initiated a drive to remove illegal religious structures constructed after September 2009. The administration had conducted a drive to pull down such structures. The steps were taken on the instructions of the state government, which followed the high court directives for removing such structures.
PMC's encroachment department head Madhav Jagtap did not reveal the exact number of illegal religious structures demolished by the administration in the recent past. He, however, said a committee has been set up under the chairmanship of municipal commissioner Kunal Kumar that meets every third month to scrutinise the cases of illegal religious structures.
"The administration is working on the matter of illegal religious structures. Due process needs to be followed in every case along with the committee's recommendations", he said.
