The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) began constructing a transit camp in Sector 22, popularly called the Ota scheme, in Nigdi on Wednesday amidst tight police bandobast. Speaking to TOI, M M Savale, superintending engineer, PCMC, said that the civic administration would need another three days to construct the tin sheds which will house those at the transit camp.
Savale said that the camp would house 180 families. Even those from neighbouring transit camps would be shifted there as the land had to be made available to construct buildings under the slum rehabilitation project.
The space for the transit camp is an area of around 2 acres, near the crematorium. Local residents have constructed a Buddha Vihar at the centre and many of them, mainly women, strongly opposed the PCMC drive. One person lay down in front of a bulldozer in an attempt to halt the drive, but was taken away by the police. Women shouted slogans against the PCMC and demanded that the transit camp should not be constructed. Some of them removed the bamboos put up to erect the tin sheds of the camp.
Verbal clashes ensued between the police and the agitating women, with the police trying in vain to persuade them to leave the Buddha vihar.
Speaking to TOI, Sunil Darekar, police inspector, Nigdi police station said that some 60 policemen and women from Pimpri, Bhosari and Nigdi police stations participated in the bandobast for the drive. One policewoman was injured during stone-throwing by the local women. In all, 21 women were arrested for obstructing government officials from doing their work. Police bandobast will be provided to the PCMC till it completes the work of erecting the transit camp.
Source:The Times Of India Residents oppose PCMC bid to build transit camp
