Parliamentary committee in favour of reducing red zone

The petition committee of the Parliament on Saturday assured to reduce the “red zone” (no-development area around ammunition depots) marking. Earlier, the panel inspected areas that fall in the zone — Nigdi, Bhosari and adjoining areas in Pimpri-Chinchwad. The residential properties that have come in the zone will not be demolished if the assurance turns into reality.

The committee promised to hold a high-level meeting in Delhi as early as possible. Shiv Sena MP from Shirur Lok Sabha Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil, Shiv Sena MP Anant Gite, MP Adi Shankar, Shiv Sena local corporator Sulbha Ubale and Dehu Road Sangharsh Samiti president Sudam Taras also accompanied the panel members.

Speaking to reporters, Patil said, “After getting mere assurances despite pursuing this issue with the Centre for the past four years, we approached the petition committee to give us justice.”

Patil said that the committee would submit its report to the Centre, which has assured to reduce the zone marking to save the residential structures that have come up in the past ten years.

The two red zones in Pimpri Chinchwad area are Dighi and Dehu Road. The former is a no-development area around the Dighi magazine depot comprising parts of Bhosari, Dighi, Charholi and other areas. The latter is the no-development area around the Dehu Road ammunition depot and comprises parts of Ravet, Nigdi, Chikhli, Kiwale, Mamurdi and other areas. These red zones are areas that fall in a 2,000-m radius around these depots and were demarcated to prevent damage to life and property in case of mishaps.

The Dehu Road red zone restrictions also apply to the corporation’s slum rehabilitation project in Sector 22, Nigdi, being constructed under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) and also covers over one lakh residential properties of Pradhikaran, Bhosari, Triveningar, Talwade areas.