Residents file complaint against Aundh Smart City contractor for razing down compound walls

The second phase of Aundh Smart City project, from Parihar chowk to Ambedkar chowk, ran into trouble when bulldozers razed the compound walls of 10 housing societies along the Kaka Halwai till DAV school.

Furious over this issue, the residents filed an FIR against the contractor, Nikhil Constructions, on November 16. A show cause notice was also served by the PMC to the construction company and a PMC engineer working on the Smart City project.

According to a letter issued by Avanti Park Co-op Society on November 6, the residents received a notice from PMC, dated September 4, 2017, about the proposed widening of the DP road, Aundh, and the demolition of boundary walls of adjacent private properties.

Replying to the notice, Sai Shree Hospital, situated on the same road, had submitted a letter dated September 7, 2017, seeking clarification and terming it illegal.

However, on the midnight between November 4 and 5, the compound walls of the private societies were demolished and its gates and trees uprooted.

“From Parihaar chowk to Arya Hotel near Westend Mall, as per the new D P rule, the road width is 30 metres whereas beyond Arya Hotel upto DAV school, it is a 24-metre width,” said Bhuban Pattanayak, chairman, Avanti Park Co-operative housing society. “We were woken up from our sleep by loud noises and crashing sounds and we were aghast to see our compound walls being demolished,” he said.

Vivek Shesh, a resident of Avanti Society, said that some officials and elected representatives were being over-enthusiastic and over-zealous about the project and were showing complete disregard to the rights of citizens and their private properties. A similar view was expressed by area resident Charu Shrotri.

The residents also held a meeting with Rajendra Jagtap, CEO, Smart City Development Corporation Ltd, who assured them that the road width will not be changed.

The residents are now raising the question as to who will take responsibility for the security of their societies and who will bear the cost of re-constructing the demolished wall.