The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has recalculated the protected area (red zone) in Dehu Road and Dighi areas from the Land Records Department of the state government. The PCMC received the accurate map prepared with the help of satellite imagery from the department in July. However, since the Municipal Corporation has not yet published the map, the citizens are waiting for an official map with accurate and clear boundaries. Since the accurate map is not being published, confusion continues among the residents regarding the red zone boundaries.
The red zone is within a radius of two thousand meters from the outer boundary wall of the Dehu Road ammunition factory and one thousand 1145 meters from the Dighi magazine depot, and the boundaries are unclear. There are disputes over it. Any construction is prohibited in the red zone within this radius.
This has affected the areas of Talwade, Nigdi, Triveni Nagar, Rupi Nagar, Yamuna Nagar, Ravet, Kivale, Chikhli, Dighi, Bhosari, Vadmukhwadi, Charholi, Dudulgaon, and Bopkhel. Millions of families have been affected. Therefore, PCMC decided to recalculate the red zone boundary. With the permission of the Defence Department, the Land Records Department got the red zone boundary calculated.
In February 2024, the Land Records Department actually started the calculation through satellite images. The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation paid a fee of Rs. 1 crore 13 lakh 67 thousand 300 to the Land Records Department for the calculation. Accordingly, the Land Records Department calculated the red zone and gave the map to the Municipal Corporation in July 2025. Even though it took four months, the accurate map of the red zone was not published by the Municipal Corporation's Urban Planning Department.
Map prepared for the second time
With the help of the Defence Department, as well as with the cooperation of the Municipal Corporation, the Land Records Department surveyed the red zone. It took one and a half years to prepare the map, as there were many errors in the first map submitted.
The PCMC had instructed to correct them and give a revised map. Accordingly, the final map was given to the Municipal Corporation on July 31, 2025. With this official map, the boundaries of the red zone in the city will be accurately delineated. It will be clear how many constructions and properties fall in the red zone.
The Land Records Department has given the red zone map to the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation. This map should be published immediately. This will make it clear how much area is affected by the red zone. Adv. Rajendra Kalbhor, Nigdi, told Loksatta that the areas outside the red zone will get relief.
“The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation has received the final map of the red zone from the Land Records Department. To prevent sensitive information of the Defence Department from being published, it is necessary to obtain the approval of the Defence Department before publishing the map. Information about what the Municipal Corporation is going to publish has been sent to the Defence Department. The map will be published as soon as it is approved,” said Kishor Gokhale, Deputy Director of the PCMC's Urban Planning Department.
