The PMC took swift action on Friday in Kothrud, demolishing illegal structures and excavating land on Mahatma Tekdi, a protected hilltop-hillslope zone near Shani Mandir. The operation was sparked by complaints from locals and environmental activists who noticed construction work on the site where rare jungle cats were reportedly spotted.
Officials from the PMC’s building permissions department found that the construction was taking place in a prohibited area. Despite the plot owner’s claims that the structures were for watchmen to prevent encroachments, they were deemed unauthorized.
Deputy Engineer Avinash Kamthe issued a 24-hour demolition notice and worked with local police to remove earth movers and trucks from the site. Residents and environmentalists are worried about the increasing encroachments on Mahatma Tekdi, which they say are putting its biodiversity and natural beauty at risk.
This isn’t the first time Mahatma Tekdi has faced encroachments, as parts of the hill were previously leveled for events like bullock cart races, and illegal structures like a pigsty were built. Despite previous actions by the PMC, these structures still remain, causing concern for the future of the hill.
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