Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) has announced a decisive crackdown on illegal hoardings and encroachments across the city, beginning with a detailed survey in Chakan where traffic congestion has become unmanageable. Officials confirmed that strict action will be taken in the coming days to dismantle unauthorised billboards and structures that have mushroomed along busy roads.
The move comes after repeated appeals by the authority failed to deter violators. Illegal hoardings, often installed without approvals, not only block crucial road space but also endanger road safety and worsen traffic in industrial corridors. A senior metropolitan commissioner said that the current survey will map the encroachments and mark the sites based on the proposed road widths before a large-scale eviction drive begins. According to officials, the persistent traffic bottlenecks in Chakan’s Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) area are linked directly to illegal encroachments. Businesses and residents have been urged to voluntarily remove the hoardings and unauthorised constructions or face forcible action. Authorities warned that if violators reinstall hoardings after removal, criminal cases will be registered against them.
The crackdown is expected to extend beyond Chakan, with parallel plans to widen narrow roads, develop alternate routes, and clear blocked drains along Pune–Nashik Road, Talegaon–Chakan–Shikrapur Road, and adjoining stretches. Officials stressed that this is not only a traffic management issue but also a step towards ensuring sustainable urban growth in one of Maharashtra’s fastest-developing belts. Recent data uploaded by PMRDA highlights the scale of the challenge. Since April, the authority has removed 230 illegal hoardings across Hinjewadi, Palkhi Road, and other areas. Yet, the region continues to grapple with 568 unauthorised billboards. The highest number has been reported from Khed with 137 hoardings, followed by Haveli East with 108, and Mulshi with 87. Together, these three talukas account for nearly 60 per cent of the total encroachments in the metropolitan region.
Experts note that unregulated hoardings do more than add to visual clutter. Many encroach on drainage lines and pavements, aggravating waterlogging during heavy rains and obstructing pedestrian movement. Urban planners emphasise that a zero-tolerance policy against illegal structures is critical if Pune is to align its growth with sustainable, eco-friendly and equitable urban planning. Officials confirmed that citizens’ cooperation will be crucial in ensuring the success of this eviction campaign. They appealed to residents and businesses to remove encroachments voluntarily, underscoring that the crackdown is aimed at restoring civic order, easing congestion, and improving quality of life across the metropolitan region.
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