Commissioner of Police (CP) Praveen Pawar directed the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation (CSMC) and police officers that the demolition drive for road widening should not be started immediately. If the residents oppose, the police have to face them. First, legal notices should be served and then proper marking should be done before initiating the drive. Even if the residents object, the joint team of the police and the municipal corporation should resolve their doubts, said Pawar during a joint meeting of the police administration, CSMC, and residents held at the police commissionerate on Wednesday. CSMC Commissioner and Administrator G. Sreekanth was present.
The residents are opposing the encroachment demolition action in the city. The women residents in Kanchanwadi have threatened to initiate a hunger strike. Against this backdrop, a meeting with the senior police and CSMC anti-encroachment department officers was held.
It was decided that the marking for the demolition for the road widening in Jatwada, Baba Chowk to Delhi Gate, and Champa Chowk will be initiated after serving the notices. If the residents oppose, a team of police and corporation officers will discuss the issue with the residents and resolve their opposition before initiating the demolition drive. The police department will be provided with technical information before initiating the drive.
A decision was taken to serve notices to the residents of Harsul before initiating the demolition drive for the 200-feet road widening. Around 300 properties would be affected in the road widening while 27 property owners will be given notices. Earlier, the residents at Harsul had opposed the road widening. Sreekanth said that as per the directives of the court, the residents will be given notices and the drive will be implemented after seven days.
