Aurangabad, Jan 29:
In the presence of tight police security, the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) today removed an encroachment made upon its 2,000 square feet land, situated near a nullah in Kile Ark. The encroachment was existing for the past three decades and the market value of the space is said to be around Rs 3 crore. The officials witnessed strong opposition to the action, but the additional commissioner R P Nikam arrived at the spot and completed the task.
The road from City Chowk to Kile Ark is one of the roads constructed through the state government's fund of Rs 152 crore by various government agencies. The construction of a bridge is also proposed on the road. The AMC's land bearing CTS number 3833 admeasuring 2,000 square feet was close to the bridge. The encroachers had built tin walls to store the scrap and wood material. It may be noted that two area residents were pursuing the matter for the past year. They also met the civic chief A K Pandey and urged him to take AMC's land. The civic chief then directed the additional civic chief R P Nikam to remove the encroachment.
Accordingly, the AMC's anti-encroachment squad with tight police security reached the spot in the morning. The encroacher Shaikh Ilyas strongly opposed the action. Prior to the action, the AMC had got it confirmed whether AMC owns the said land or not? Later on, the additional commissioner Nikam reached the spot and then the possession was taken in an hour. The deputy commissioner Aparna Thete was informed about the possession. She then directed the ward engineer Kashinath Katkar to erect barbered wire fencing on the said plot.
Today's action was taken by designated officer Savita Sonawane, R S Rachatwar, Vasant Bhoye, Syed Jamsheed, P B Gaoli, estate section's Moin Ali and the AMC's police force.