Pune: PCMC’s Bulldozer Politics? Residents Allege Years of Corruption Before Demolitions

Reported by Varad Bhatkhande
Pimpri-Chinchwad, 17th May 2025: The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) faces a storm of allegations after it demolished 36 riverside bungalows in Chikhali, triggering a major controversy over corruption, official negligence, and political collusion. The bungalows, deemed illegal for falling within the blue flood line of the Indrayani River, were razed following orders from the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

But the residents, now rendered homeless, are not staying silent.
They allege that PCMC officials and local political leaders enabled and profited from the very structures they later declared illegal. Bribery, deception, and years of willful inaction are at the heart of the growing scandal.

“We Were Cheated by the System We Trusted”
Residents claim they were duped by a nexus of landowners, builders, and corrupt municipal staff. A PCMC employee identified as Shirsath is accused of accepting bribes to overlook violations, while a local political leader from a major party is alleged to have plotted and sold the land illegally in 2017–18.

“Where was PCMC when these homes were being built? Where were the so-called flood line rules then?” asked a furious resident who lost his home. “We paid our life’s savings and now we are being punished for their failures.”

Many affected families say they have been living in the area for years and regularly paid property taxes, which they say were willingly collected by the corporation — further evidence of official complicity.

PCMC Commissioner Promises Inquiry, But Will Action Follow?
Amid mounting public pressure, PCMC Commissioner Shekhar Singh has issued a cautious assurance. “It is never a pleasure to carry out such actions against people’s homes, but rules are rules. I urge people to submit written complaints,” Singh said. “If the allegations are true, there will be departmental inquiries, suspensions, and strict action within a month.”

However, residents are skeptical. “Will they really punish their own? Or is this just another damage-control statement?” asked one of the protestors.
Singh added that the administration would also take suo motu cognizance of the complaints and not wait for formal submissions to act.

Questions PCMC Must Answer
Why did the PCMC allow construction in a flood-prone area for years?
Why were property taxes collected from illegal structures?
Why is only the resident being punished while the enablers within the system remain untouched?
What checks failed to stop this large-scale violation?

This case has laid bare the failure of institutional accountability, where citizens are bearing the cost of official corruption and negligence.

Unless PCMC takes swift and transparent action, the administration’s credibility—and the hope for justice—will erode further. For now, dozens of families are left without homes, and with one burning question: Who will answer for this betrayal?