Pune News: Residents from 14 buildings evacuated due to landslip in Ambegaon Budruk

There are 16–30 apartments in each of the 12 four or five-story structures atop the cliff, and 80–100 apartment owners have received letters from PMC officials. The locals wonder why the government permits this kind of building in the first place.

Over 100 families in Ambegaon Budruk and Ambegaon Pathar were warned to evacuate their flats after boulders, mud, and trees crashed into the Viva Nirman Society parking area during heavy rain. Pune Municipal Corporation officials served notice to residents late on Tuesday night. No one was injured, but two residential buildings were dangerously positioned on a cliff of a hill.

Ambegaon Pathar and Ambegaon Budruk’s hill have nearly disappeared due to continuous construction activities. Some buildings have been built on the hill and land near the forest area leading to Vadgaon Budruk-Parvati hill. The Viva Nirman Society treasurer, Abhijit Shinde, reported that water started flowing into the society from a cliff after rain started on Tuesday afternoon, causing noise and rainwater to go down.

A society clubhouse has been the alternative residence for 46 families from B and C wings because of possible harm from cliffs to residential structures in Ambegaon Pathar. Some of the occupants have moved in with family or are looking for rental apartments after PMC declared them hazardous. Amol Mote, the head of the society, has given the affected family food and other essentials. Twelve structures that are connected to cliffs have received notifications to vacant from PMC officials.

Officers from PMC have sent letters to residents of Samruddhi Villa, Balaji Park, and Mayuresh Park asking them to leave their apartments. Residents are paying PMC for water bills and property taxes even though the apartments are unoccupied. The structures were built while Ambegaon Pathar was still a gram panchayat, some 12 or 13 years ago. The PMC is now claiming that the structures were not built legally. There are 16–30 apartments in each of the 12 four- or five-story structures atop the cliff, and 80–100 apartment owners have received letters from PMC officials. The locals wonder why the government permits this kind of building in the first place.

A metallic road was constructed six months ago from Ambegaon Pathar to Sai Mandir, leading to narrow lanes and a cliff. The lanes were flooded, causing water to gush down towards the building and causing a landslip at Viva Nirman. PMC officials visited the site and the legality of some buildings near the landslip spot will soon be verified. Residents are advised to approach a structural auditor with PMC to conduct a structural audit of the buildings, and a report and observations will be provided to PMC in the next two days.