Residents live in mortal fear that construction activity on a nearby hill will lead to landslides that will destroy their homes and lives
Residents live in mortal fear that construction activity on a nearby hill will lead to landslides that will destroy their homes and lives
For the past six years, residents of Westend Village, Bhusari colony at Paud Raud have been living under the shadow of death.
According to them, the construction activity that's being carried out by The Construction Group on an adjoining hill has loosened the soil's grip on the boulders. The much-awaited rains will only increase the chances of a landslide.
In fact, on Tuesday, they were shocked to find a 10 kg boulder that had fallen from the hill into their parking lot.
It's risky
M R Bijoor, a resident said, that the builder has applied cement to the vertical faces near buildings E and F, but the boulders on the upper slopes can still come crashing down. "Although, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) had assessed the risk and issued a notice to the builder in July 2007, he has not taken any precautions yet," he alleged.
Nothing to worry
However, Vinayak Bapat, managing director of The Construction Group, said the allegations were baseless. "We have cut the hill as per PMC norms. We even got experts to check the hill before the monsoons to ensure there is no risk of boulders falling," he said.
He added that they have also placed grills and meshes to prevent boulders from falling.
'We will see'
When contacted, Prashant Waghmare, city engineer, PMC, said, "Our junior engineers always check the site before granting permission. If necessary, they will visit the area again."
Meanwhile, residents remain fearful. "If preventive steps are not taken immediately, we will have to face a landslide like the one on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway," said Bijoor.
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