The civil judge (senior division), NT Ghatge, on Sunday stayed the eviction of residents of Padalwasti slum, off Aundh Road in Khadki.
The court on Saturday had granted a stay on the eviction till 11 am on Sunday. After hearing the assistant public prosecutor, SM Jagtap, who argued on behalf of the army, and advocate Vijay Kale, who represented the slum dwellers, the court extended the stay and directed both parties to present their documents on April 29. Later, Jagtap said he would move the district court on Monday.
The slum is located next to Avinash Bhosale group’s upcoming project, Castle Royale. The army had served a notice to the slum dwellers to vacate the land by Sunday as it belongs to them. However, on Saturday, the irked slum dwellers had stopped army personnel from carrying out a survey on the land.
The Republican Party of India (RPI) leader, Parshuram Wadekar, told DNA that on Sunday afternoon, divisional commissioner Dilip Band; Khadki Cantonment Board (KCB) president, Brigadier Balraj Singh; and other Pune Municipal Corporation officials met at the KCB office and discussed the matter.
“The authorities have decided to rehabilitate the 38 families. The families want the rehabilitation in Aundh area only,” Wadekar added.
In the meantime, Band said families will be housed in the transit accommodation of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) following the eviction notice served on them by the army authorities.
Band said although the slum has come up on army land, the slum dwellers had been included in the slum survey conducted by the civic body in the past. “Thus, the 38 families are eligible for rehabilitation,” he said.
Located in various parts of the city, the transit camps are used to house project-affected people by the civic body. Band said those desirous of availing the accommodation will have to apply to the ward officer, Aundh, who will help in relocating the families.
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