Pimpri-Chinchwad: Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Thursday said the state government would work on an amnesty scheme to regularise eligible unauthorised buildings in Pimpri-Chinchwad, while structures that cannot be regularised would face demolition. Bawankule also said registration officials had been instructed not to register illegal buildings or process documents related to them.
He said the move was aimed at protecting people who had invested their savings in properties that may not be legally regularisable. Bawankule made the remarks during his visit to Pimpri-Chinchwad on Thursday afternoon. He said he would hold a dedicated meeting to discuss the issue of unauthorised construction in the city.
Amnesty for eligible buildings
Bawankule said Pimpri-Chinchwad had seen cases where builders had violated regulations and constructed structures that could not be regularised. He referred to the action taken against around 3,900 illegal buildings in Nagpur and said a similar approach would be examined for Pimpri-Chinchwad.
An amnesty scheme would be considered for structures that meet the conditions for regularisation, he said. Buildings that cannot be regularised would instead be demolished. Bawankule said the government also had to protect homebuyers who had already invested money in such properties.
"For anyone who has invested funds, I am instructing the registration officers today not to register illegal buildings or process any documentation for them," he said. The minister said the government would focus on preventing builders from continuing to violate construction rules while also protecting citizens who may have purchased properties without being fully aware of their legal status.
Strict compliance with development rules
Bawankule said future development in Pimpri-Chinchwad must follow the Unified Development Control and Promotion Regulations (UDCPR) and the city’s Development Plan. He said the aim was to prevent unauthorised construction from creating problems for the city in the future.
Bawankule also praised PCMC Commissioner Vijay Suryawanshi and said the state government, along with the civic administration, elected representatives and MLAs, would work towards sustainable development in the city.
During the meeting, the PCMC commissioner also raised the issue of drinking water, which Bawankule described as one of the city’s biggest concerns. According to Bawankule, Suryawanshi presented a plan aimed at securing sufficient water for Pimpri-Chinchwad’s requirements for the next 25 years.
The minister also said several infrastructure-related issues were discussed during the meeting. Bawankule’s announcement on unauthorised buildings comes at a time when illegal construction and encroachments remain civic issues in Pimpri-Chinchwad. The proposed approach could affect both developers of unauthorised structures and residents who have purchased homes in such buildings.
However, the amnesty scheme is yet to be formally notified, and details such as eligibility criteria, regularisation charges and the types of structures that will qualify are yet to be announced.
