Defence authority to present its version in HC

"We have already submitted the same to the Bombay High Court. The court in its next hearing will hear their side. They have to authenticate it and present its say before any demarcation is carried out,'' said District Collector Vikas Deshmukh regarding the issue.

The Defence officials had filed an affidavit in the Bombay High Court claiming that the red zone area of Dehu Road Ammunition Depot would not be reduced for security reasons. This came after a petition was moved by Shiv Sena corporator Seema Salve against the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) for carrying out construction activities, including a housing scheme for urban poor, in the red zone, where no development is allowed as per the law. The demarcation would affect not only the upcoming housing project there but also some MIDC areas.

The district administration had earlier written to the defence authorities asking for information regarding the original layout before carrying out a detailed survey. A rough map prepared by the Pimpri-Chinchwad New Town Development Authority (PCNTDA) and the district collectorate has included sectors 19-23 within the red zone.The district collector and officials representing PCNTDA, defence, Dehu Cantonment Board (DCB) and Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) have had meetings on the same.

The High Court had directed the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation to get a 'no-objection' certificate from the defence authorities for the civic body's slum rehabilitation project at sector 22 in Nigdi and stop construction till the certificate is obtained. This order was given during a hearing on the alleged violation of the 'red zone' by the civic body while constructing the project.

Under this project, the civic body was constructing 11,760 tenements under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission scheme which is close to the Dehu Road Ammunition depot.

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