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Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- General
- Hindustan Times
Army to fence abandoned defence land in Camp
In response to mounting safety and environmental concerns, military authorities have announced plans to construct a 10-foot-high protective wall around a stretch of neglected defence land opposite the iconic Bishop's School in Pune Camp. Army to fence abandoned defence land in Camp Locals say the plot has become a hotspot for anti-social activities—used for open urination, illegal dumping of garbage, storing scrap, and parking abandoned vehicles. A faded signboard at the site cites a National Green Tribunal (NGT) order prohibiting dumping, but enforcement has been absent. A senior army officer overseeing cantonment defence lands confirmed that fencing work will begin within the next six weeks. 'All necessary steps have been initiated, and a protective wall will be constructed around the entire plot at the earliest,' the official said. Currently, the land is strewn with plastic waste, cement debris, rubble, broken bricks, and old vehicles. Buffaloes are frequently brought in for grazing, and a signal tower within the premises remains unsecured. There are no guards or routine patrols, leaving the area vulnerable to further encroachment. Despite the neglect, environmentalists have noted the presence of exotic bird species, underlining the ecological value of the site. Within the premises also stands the deteriorating remains of an Old Grant Bungalow (OGB)—a colonial-era structure that adds to the historical significance of the land. Cantonment activist Rajabhau Chavan welcomed the move. 'This land must be protected without delay. The construction of a boundary wall is an important first step. The Army should also reclaim all Old Grant Bungalows on cantonment land in the national interest. These structures carry historical value and their sanctity must be preserved,' he said. Pune Cantonment Board (PCB) Chief Executive Officer Subrat Pal confirmed coordination with defence authorities. 'We have been informed that a protective wall has been proposed, and appropriate action is underway,' he said. OGBs in the Pune Cantonment area are colonial-era bungalows originally granted to civilians for residential use under specific conditions. While the Holders of Occupancy (HOR) own the structures, the land remains under the control of the Ministry of Defence. Over time, many of these properties have deteriorated or become entangled in legal disputes and encroachments. A recent investigation by the Directorate of Defence Estates uncovered irregularities in the sale and construction of at least 20 such properties. Four bungalows—collectively valued at around ₹500 crore—have been sealed. Resumption proceedings have been initiated for 16 more properties in Pune and Khadki cantonments over unauthorised transfers and sales. Officials are working with the Inspector General of Registration (IGR) to trace sale and transfer records for 45 OGBs transacted in the past two decades. Authorities are now demanding PAN and other documentation from occupants to build legal cases. Meanwhile, all construction on suspect OGBs has been halted amid fears that approvals were obtained through suppression of facts.
Time of India
02-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
After Pune's Sachapir Street slab crash tragedy, Cantt board starts property check
Pune: A team of Pune Cantonment Board's engineering section on Wednesday started inspection of the Sachapir Street property where a slab crashed the day before, leading to a worker's death. A Pune Cantonment Board (PCB) official said the team would check if the construction complied with the sanctioned plan and also verify various parameters, including the height of the property. A 20-year-old worker died of grievous head injury while three others were injured when the fourth-floor cantilever slab came crashing down on a third-floor slab at the construction site on Sachapir Street in Camp around 2pm on Tuesday. You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune It is a "freehold" property, and the Holder of Occupancy Right and a builder were constructing a building there. The cantonment board official said permission was given to construct the ground and first floors of the building last year. They employed private employees to construct the building. The total area of the plot (house number 595) is 13,421.78 square feet. According to the Floor Space Index rules, the maximum height allowed for freehold property construction is 54 feet. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Perdagangkan CFD Emas dengan Broker Tepercaya IC Markets Mendaftar Undo The official said the cantonment team would assess if the owners left sufficient space for parking and other amenities as outlined in the sanctioned plan. Currently, there are approximately 2,436 civil properties registered in the cantonment records across its six wards, spread across about 250 acres of land in the heart of the city. Activists want the cantonment board to carefully scrutinise all building development plans before approving them. Karansingh Makhwani, a former member of the board who met officials of its engineering section on Wednesday, said, "As per our assessment, the builder has utilised more FSI. The engineer of the area had not done a proper inspection of the site in the past." Activist Rajabhau Chavan said: "Given the significant real estate value of these properties due to their location, several private entities have shown interest in redevelopment over the past few years. The cantonment board should enforce strict guidelines when sanctioning the plans." Deputy commissioner of police (Zone II) Milind Mohite told TOI: "We will study all the documents related to the construction site and the agreements with the labour contrac before fixing responsibilities and registering a case." Senior inspector Girish Dhigavkar of Cantonment police told TOI: "We have sought documents from the Cantonment Board, and other authorities. We have recorded statements of the injured workers and the contractor."
Time of India
02-06-2025
- Time of India
Hoardings in cantt areas on rise due to PCB inaction: Residents
Pune: Many residents and activists are frustrated by the inaction of the Pune Cantonment Board (PCB) against illegal hoardings in the last two years. These hoardings have proliferated over several land plots including military areas under the PCB, especially in the last few months, citizens said, adding that the last action against such hoardings was taken in Sept 2023 by the Defence Estates Office. This inaction has supported the violators to continue their activities, they said. On May 28, PCB issued a public notice asking violators to remove their hoardings before June 15. The notice reads, "Any incident/mishap causing loss to the safety and security of any general public and property due to the hoarding erected, firm, organisation/individual will be solely responsible for the same." Citizens said the board should have removed these hoardings in the last two years. "It is a matter of safety for residents of the cantonment and commuters. These hoardings are made from tonnes of iron. Their structural audit is not done. At some places, they are looming over the roads. With gusty winds and rain, the structures become weaker and chance of collapse increases," said Rajabhau Chavan, an activist. Many asked how such hoardings could be erected despite sensitive defence establishments, including Southern Command headquarters, in the vicinity. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like People Born 1940-1975 With No Life Insurance Could Be Eligible For This Reassured Get Quote Undo "The cantonment should conduct a survey to identify such structures and remove them on priority. They can apply high charges against the violators," said Asif Shaikh. "The board conducts auctioning once every two years and earns revenue of over Rs 50 lakh. But there are private ad agencies that have been exploiting the cantonment land for the last few years. They charge high rates but the defence estates agencies don't earn anything. It is a big scam," said activist Murtuza Poonawala.
