PCMC demolishes 4 unauthorised religious structures in overnight drive at Chikhali-Kudalwadi area

Pune: The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) removed four unauthorised religious structures during an overnight demolition operation ending Monday in the Chikhali-Kudalwadi area amid tight security and heightened tension.The action followed notices issued more than a year ago to 31 unauthorised religious structures in the locality. These notices were served after one of the city's largest anti-encroachment drives, during which more than 4,000 illegal industrial units and scrap godowns spread across nearly 900 acres were demolished. At the time, religious structures and ATM kiosks had been exempted.According to civic officials, the structures demolished during the overnight drive covered over 4,300sqft and were part of an ongoing drive targeting illegal constructions in Kudalwadi and nearby areas. "The four razed structures, two temples and two mosques, had no pending legal challenges or protective orders from any authority. Several of the remaining structures have approached bodies like the minority commission, the urban development department and courts for relief. Action will be taken once those matters are resolved," a senior PCMC official told TOI.The officials said the drive was deliberately carried out after midnight to avoid potential resistance, considering residents had staged protest marches last year when the notices were first issued. "The demolition began around 1am and continued till sunrise to minimise obstruction and ensure law and order," another civic official said.The operation saw the deployment of around 1,200 police personnel, along with 218 Maharashtra Security Force (MSF) jawans. The officials confirmed that the drive concluded without any untoward incidents.Additional municipal commissioner Kuldeep Jangam said the civic body would continue its crackdown on illegal constructions across the city, regardless of their nature. "Unauthorised commercial units have re-emerged in Kudalwadi after last year's drive. These will also face action too. We will act against any illegal construction in the city," he said.BJP MLA Mahesh Landge, who had previously raised concerns about alleged Bangladeshi infiltrators in Kudalwadi, supported the demolition. In a post on X, he said action against unauthorised religious structures sheltering "anti-national tendencies" was necessary. The MLA also expressed regret over damage to some Hindu religious sites, adding that efforts would be made to rebuild them at authorised locations in accordance with regulations.