Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation (CSMC) has implemented an extensive road widening drive in the city for the past few days. However, the City Chowk to Naubat Darwaja road widening has been hampered for the past two years, despite several efforts taken by the corporation. Moreover, the residents had to face severe traffic jams on this road.
CSMC has demolished around 4,000 properties in the city which were obstructing the road widening according to the Development Plan (DP). The administration is continuously appealing to the people through loudspeakers on the auto-rickshaws to remove the properties on their own. Accordingly, several people have removed the properties on their own and cleared the path for the road widening.
Danger to the historic monument
The traffic was passing through the historic Naubat Darwaja in the Killeark area, causing a danger to the historic monument. The residents and the history experts had appealed to the corporation to take measures to preserve the historic Naubat Darwaja. Hence, the corporation had taken the decision to close the road passing through the Darwaja and construct two roads from both sides of the Darwaja. On one side of the Darwaja, there is the ‘Panchkula’ graveyard and on the other, a residential locality.
The graveyard committee, without any delay, gave the land for the road widening. However, the properties on the other side were not cleared. The contractor then completed only half of the road due to the lack of land. Hence, the road on only one side could be completed.
Some of the property owners in this area have PR cards and they can be given TDR against the properties. Those owners who do not have proper documents will be given alternative plots. The property department has started the work in this regard.
The president of the graveyard committee, Abdul Rashid Khan, said that the residents are facing traffic jam problems every day. The problem is more severe during the office hours in the morning and evening. Hence, the corporation should take decisions about the property owners and start the road work soon.
Property officer Sanjay Chamle said that the process regarding the property owners in the Killeark area is under progress. The decision will be taken at the senior level soon.
