PCMCs Demolition Drive Sparks Protests as Town Planning Schemes Loom in Chikhali Kudalwadi

May 7, 2025

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PCMCs Demolition Drive Sparks Protests as Town Planning Schemes Loom in Chikhali Kudalwadi

The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has come under fire from residents after the demolition of over 4,500 unauthorised structures in Chikhali-Kudalwadi. The aggressive drive, carried out as part of the civic body's efforts to reclaim land and initiate organised development, is linked to the launch of proposed Town Planning (TP) schemes in the area.

The PCMC has notified plans for two major TP schemes—one spanning 380 hectares in Chikhali-Kudalwadi and another covering 1,425 hectares in Charholi. These schemes are a part of the city's overall vision for orderly urban development, which seeks to solve the issues created by unorganised development and unauthorised buildings.

But the civic body's action has sparked mass unrest among residents, many of whom say they were not provided with adequate notice or alternative arrangements before their houses and buildings were razed. The situation escalated last week when a group of angry locals staged protests, shouting slogans and burning copies of the notification in a show of defiance.

Residents allege that the TP schemes disproportionately favour builders and developers at the cost of ordinary citizens who have lived in the area for years. The incident underscores the complex challenges that come with urban expansion, balancing civic planning with the rights of those directly affected.

As Pimpri-Chinchwad continues to grow, the success of these TP schemes may depend not just on the plans themselves, but on how well authorities can engage with, reassure, and include the communities they aim to transform.

Source: The Indian Express