Pune:  Illegal Fish Market And Hoardings Razed In Mohammadwadi, Citizens Demand Action Against Nexus

Pune, September 23, 2025: In a long-overdue action, nearly ten illegal retail fish shops constructed with iron rods and makeshift materials were dismantled two days ago near a nullah in Mohammadwadi, close to a petrol pump and just ahead of Lavanya Executive Hotel. The demolition, carried out by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), comes after years of citizen complaints regarding encroachment, traffic obstruction, and environmental degradation along the busy road corridor stretching from SM Ghule Circle to Kadnagar.

The illegal establishments had sprung up right over the nullah, blocking its flow and occupying public land meant for stormwater drainage. The spot had become a bottleneck on an otherwise strategic road connecting several high-density residential areas in Pune’s fast-developing southern corridor.

Criminal Nexus Alleged

Multiple residents and local activists have alleged that these illegal shops were operating under the protection of a criminal-political nexus. “This was not just encroachment; this was an ecosystem of criminalisation of public space,” said a resident of Mohammadwadi, requesting anonymity. “We have been raising this issue for years. FIRs should be filed, and the MCOCA should be invoked against the key operators and their protectors.”

Locals claim that the illegal market was a source of daily congestion and posed a safety hazard, not only due to the traffic chaos but also due to the unhygienic conditions and lack of civic regulation. “It’s a shame that public land is being hijacked while PMC loses crores in potential revenue. Who is collecting rent from these illegal shops? It’s a racket,” another citizen said.

Demolition Uncovers Illegal Hoardings

In a twist that has added fuel to the fire, the demolition also exposed five large iron hoardings hidden behind the illegal shops—structures that citizens now allege are also unauthorized. “These hoardings are massive, and there’s no visibility of proper structural audits or permissions. Are they safe? Who’s earning from them? The PMC must answer,” said a civic activist from NIBM Road.

Experts point out that illegal hoardings and encroachments along nullahs are not just a legal issue but a massive public safety concern. “The collapse risk is real. Structural stability checks are often bypassed with bribes or political influence. It’s one of the biggest urban scams in Pune,” said a structural engineer familiar with PMC regulations.

A Nullah Criminalised

Urban planning observers have criticized what they call the “complete criminalisation of nullah space” in many parts of Pune. “Nullahs are supposed to be part of the stormwater management system. What we are seeing is a systematic colonization of these spaces — illegal shops, hawkers, hoardings, even parking lots — all robbing the city of its natural drainage and increasing flood risk,” said an environmental planner at a Pune-based urban think tank.

Citizen Demands

Residents have submitted a memorandum demanding:

• Immediate FIRs against those who ran and supported the illegal market.
• Application of MCOCA against repeat violators.
• A full audit of hoardings in the area, including structural stability reports.
• Restoration and fencing of the nullah to prevent future encroachment.
• Transparency on revenue losses and rent collections from illegal vendors.

PMC’s Silence

Despite the visible violations and citizen outrage, there has been no official statement from the PMC yet on who authorized the hoardings or why years of complaints about the illegal shops were ignored. Attempts to reach local ward officers remained unanswered at the time of filing this report.

Drain Capture

According to civic activists and local residents, crores of rupees are being illegally generated through unauthorized use of public land, with no transparency or accountability. “This is a parallel economy operating on government property,” said one resident. “Vendors are being charged unofficial ‘rent,’ advertising revenue is being siphoned off from illegal hoardings, and the public is being robbed—not just of money, but of basic civic amenities like clean roads, safe drainage, and regulated traffic.” The situation represents a complete breakdown of urban governance and law enforcement, as civic authorities either turned a blind eye or were complicit in allowing these violations to flourish for years

 Citizen speak 

The demolition in Mohammadwadi is being hailed as a long-awaited step, but citizens are demanding deeper accountability. With allegations of criminal protection, illegal earnings, and compromised public safety, this is no longer a simple matter of encroachment — it’s a test of whether city governance will stand up to the entrenched nexus of illegality and political apathy.