Special Correspondent
Pune :Illegal hawkers and roadside stalls have become a major issue across Pune, obstructing footpaths, causing traffic jams, and reducing pedestrian space. This persistent problem has led to growing frustration among residents, despite the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) deploying a dedicated team of 440 officials to address encroachments. However, the city’s footpaths continue to be blocked, highlighting the PMC’s inability to tackle the worsening encroachment issue effectively.
Official records reveal that until 2017, the PMC issued 12,000 licenses to vendors, collecting Rs. 11.2 crore in fees. However, no new licenses have been granted since 2017, while illegal hawkers continue to flourish. In 2024 alone, the PMC’s encroachment department imposed nearly 48,000 fines for illegal encroachments, but only Rs. 87.93 lakh was collected in penalties, with only 67 cases of fines being paid. This discrepancy between fines imposed and collected has raised concerns about the department’s inefficiency and potential corruption.
The gap between fines imposed and fines collected has led to suspicions of corruption within the PMC. Despite widespread complaints, the PMC’s response remains largely unchanged. Somnath Bankar, Deputy Commissioner of the Encroachment/Illegal Construction Removal Department, defended the department’s efforts, stating, “Our team consistently takes action against encroachers. No new licenses have been issued since 2017, and fines are our only tool to curb illegal stalls. The action against encroachments is less visible due to two major elections in 2024, but we continue to take action against violators.”
