Prev Post
How to Find Undervalued Land That Delivers High Returns: A Comprehensive Research GuidePune’s Big Clean-Up: Over 300 Illegal Resorts Demolished Near Dam Zones ( Khadakwasla- Panshet Belt)
Pune recently saw one of the biggest environmental protection drives in this part of the country when over 300 illegal resorts, hotels, and commercial structures built around Khadakwasla, Panshet, Pavana, and Kasarsai dam belts were razed by the authorities. The drive is a significant moment in the city's attempt to restore water safety, protect natural resources, and maintain the ecological balance of its dam catchment areas.
Why This Crackdown Was Needed
Over the years, unauthorised commercial development in the dam areas has grown at a fast pace. With breathtaking views and correspondingly high tourist demand, many businesses sprouted up with resorts, hotels, and recreational facilities, often without permits, on restricted land, or in violation of environmental laws.
These constructions posed serious threats:
- Untreated sewage and waste enter the waters of the dam.
- Either way, pollution is affecting the quality of Pune's drinking water supply.
- Soil erosion and ecological disturbance
- Increased tourist flow is detrimental to the fragile environment.
Water from the catchment areas of these dams supplies a major part of Pune and nearby regions. Any contamination directly affects public health, farming, and the city's water security.
The government launched a coordinated interdepartmental action that involved:
- The Water Resources Department
- Revenue officials
- Local municipal bodies
- Police teams
- Heavy equipment operators
It was a campaign of demolitions characterised by speed and precision: many of these structures were big business establishments that needed excavators, cranes, and transport vehicles for safe dismantling.
Undeterred by the resistance from some of the property owners, the administration continued the operation uninterruptedly. It was crystal clear: no compromise while protecting the water sources.
Quick Benefits:
Relief has finally come to the catchment belt with the removal of over 300 illegal structures. Authorities have succeeded in:
- Reduced pollution risks
- Prevented further sewage discharge into reservoirs
- Restored natural drainage patterns
- Improved ecological balance
A Strong Message Against Encroachment
The scale of the operation shows that the government intends to reclaim all restricted zones, especially those linked to critical public resources such as dams, rivers, and forests.
Landowners, developers, and commercial operators in sensitive zones have been given a final warning: illegal building, no matter how lucrative, will not be tolerated.
Impact on Local Communities
It's a loss for some of the local businesses that depend on it for their livelihood. But larger stakes are involved in this long-term equation: preservation of clean water sources and a sustainable environment ensures better living conditions for generations to come.
Additionally, legal businesses and compliant eco-tourism ventures will profit from a cleaner and more regulated environment.
What This Means for Pune’s Future
This drive is much more than an administrative action-it is a pointer to the fact that environmental stewardship has turned out to be very key for a swelling metropolis like Pune. This is all the more important when natural resources in urban growth are sought to be protected.
Authorities are expected to:
- Enhance patrols in sensitive areas
- Apply more restrictive permissions regarding commercial activity.
- Promote sustainable, controlled tourism.
- Engaging local communities in conservation efforts
Conclusion
Demolishing over 300 such illegal structures near the dam catchment areas is an important step to protect the city's water supply and environmental health. The drive restores ecological balance and reduces pollution while emphasising compliance with environmental laws. Such actions would help to ensure that development remains sustainable and responsible as the city continues to grow.
Source- Punekar News
In urban and regional planning areas, the Maharashtra government has revoked the Maharashtra Prevention of Fragmentation and Consolidation of Holdings Act. The decision aims to regularise small land parcels and simplify land transactions across cities and towns.
Details of the Decision
According to the new amendment, the provisions of the Fragmentation Act will no longer apply to non-agricultural (NA) lands located in urban areas, municipal corporations, municipal councils, and metropolitan development authority regions.
Land transactions carried out between November 15, 1965, and October 15, 2024, will be considered for regularisation. The rule also covers plots up to one guntha (approximately 1,089 square feet) that were subdivided before the cut-off date.
A four-member committee has been appointed to prepare a SOP ( Standard Operating Procedure )for the implementation of the decision. The SOP will outline the process for regularisation, documentation, and verification of eligible land parcels.
Impact on Landowners
The repeal of the Act is expected to provide legal recognition to subdivided plots that were earlier restricted under the 1947 law. Landowners whose plots were previously considered fragmented will now be able to apply for ownership regularisation.
The amendment will allow transactions, registration, and approvals for such plots in accordance with development authority rules and regulations.
Purpose of the Reform
The Fragmentation Act was originally introduced to prevent the division of agricultural land into uneconomic holdings. However, with the expansion of urban areas, many lands previously governed under the Act are now part of municipal or development plan zones.
The latest amendment separates urban non-agricultural lands from the scope of this Act, allowing them to be managed under existing urban planning and development laws.
Implementation
The State Government has directed local authorities and development bodies to follow the upcoming SOP for processing applications related to fragmented land parcels. Only plots created before October 15, 2024, will be eligible under this regularisation process.
The decision is applicable across all urban and regional plan areas in Maharashtra.
Members of the Jain community in Pune have announced that they will launch an indefinite protest if a controversial land deal involving a community trust property in Model Colony is not cancelled.
The land, measuring around 3.5 acres, belongs to the Seth Hirachand Nemchand Smarak Trust, which manages a Jain hostel and temple used by both the Digambar and Śvētāmbara sects. The property is located in a prime area of Pune near Model Colony.
The trust reportedly signed a contract with the private developer Gokhale Landmarks LLP for the property's sale or renovation. Some members of the Jain community have opposed the deal, arguing that the sale process was opaque and that the land is intended for communal use.
According to religious leaders like Acharya Guptinandi Maharaj, the community will start an unending agitation if the sale is not cancelled. Action against the trustees involved in the transaction has also been demanded by protesters.
In response to the growing opposition, the Charity Commissioner’s Office in Maharashtra has ordered a status quo on the property, preventing any transfer or construction work until further review.
Representatives of the trust have maintained that the sale process was legal and approved by the Commissioner’s office. However, following community pressure, Gokhale Landmarks LLP has reportedly communicated its intent to withdraw from the deal.
Further hearings and official decisions regarding the cancellation of the agreement are awaited.
The Maharashtra government has offered a compensation package of ₹1 crore per acre to farmers whose land is being acquired for the proposed Purandar International Airport project near Pune.
District Collector Jitendra Dudi made the announcement, which is a part of the state's attempt to expedite the long-delayed Greenfield airport project. Officials say the new rate is about four times the area's current ready reckoner rate.
Compensation Details
The package includes:
- A cash compensation of ₹1 crore per acre for the acquired land.
- Additional payment equivalent to twice the value of existing structures and agricultural assets such as houses, borewells, and fruit-bearing trees.
- Allocation of 10% of the developed land back to the farmers after the project is completed.
Authorities said that disbursement of compensation is expected to begin by the end of November, following completion of formal procedures.
Villages Affected
The land acquisition covers seven villages — Ekhatpur, Khanwadi, Kumbharvalan, Munjawadi, Pargaon, Udachiwadi, and Vanpuri — in Purandar taluka of Pune district. The total land required for the airport is around 3,200 acres, according to the latest estimates.
The government has already secured consent for nearly 90% of the land, easing one of the major bottlenecks in the project’s progress.
Farmers Seek Higher Compensation
While the offer marks a major step forward, several farmers have said that the proposed rate is “not acceptable.”
Farmer representatives argue that landowners affected by other infrastructure projects in Maharashtra, such as the Samruddhi Mahamarg, have received higher compensation. They are demanding a payout equivalent to five times the ready reckoner rate and have requested further consultations with government officials before final approval.
Maharashtra Government to Issue Individual Property Cards for Flat Owners
The Maharashtra Government has declared its intention to provide individual property cards to all apartment owners in the state.
Currently, property cards in Maharashtra record details only of the landowner or housing society, leaving out information about individual flat owners in multi-storey buildings. To address this gap, the state has decided to introduce a new system of “Vertical Property Cards”, which will contain details of each flat owner, their respective share of the land, and other relevant ownership data.
To implement this initiative, the government has constituted an eight-member committee chaired by Vikas Kharge, Additional Chief Secretary of the Revenue Department. The committee comprises representatives from several departments, including Cooperation, Urban Development, Law and Judiciary, Rural Development, and Registration and Stamps, as well as the Settlement Commissioner and the Director of Land Records. The Joint Secretary of Land Survey will serve as the member-secretary of the panel.
Mandate of the Committee
The committee has been tasked with drafting the Vertical Property Rules, which will define the framework for registering and maintaining records of individual property ownership in multi-storey buildings.
Its responsibilities include:
Studying similar vertical property ownership laws in other states.
Reviewing previous proposals submitted by the Settlement Commissioner’s office.
Preparing a legal and administrative structure to integrate flat ownership data into Maharashtra’s existing land records system.
The committee is expected to submit its recommendations within a month.
To expand Dighi Port in the Konkan region of Maharashtra, the Adani Group has announced an additional investment of ₹42,500 crore. Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone, which runs the port, and the Maharashtra government signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Monday.
This investment forms part of a broader initiative where the state government signed 15 MoUs worth over ₹56,000 crore during the India Maritime Week to boost port infrastructure, shipbuilding, and maritime technology.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the agreements aim to make Maharashtra a “maritime superpower of India.” The new MoUs include plans for port expansions, shipyard development, and industrial zones around ports.
The Adani Group had originally acquired the bankrupt Dighi Port in 2021 with a ₹705 crore bid and committed ₹10,000 crore for its revival and expansion. The new investment significantly scales up its long-term commitment to the project.
Along with Adani's investment, the Chowgule Group intends to invest ₹5,000 crore in shipbuilding and repair, and the JSW Group will invest ₹3,709 crore to expand facilities at Jaigad Port.
The Maharashtra government also plans to launch a water taxi service connecting the newly inaugurated Navi Mumbai Airport (operated by Adani) with the Gateway of India in South Mumbai — the first of its kind in India. Additionally, the state is developing a marina in Mumbai to promote water transport and tourism.
Foreign investors from the UAE, the Netherlands, and Sweden have also signed commitments to invest in Maharashtra’s maritime infrastructure. The IIT-Bombay will support the initiative by developing training and skill development programs for maritime sector employees.
The cumulative investments aim to strengthen Maharashtra’s 700-km coastline, enhance its role in global supply chains, and support India’s vision of becoming a major maritime economy.