Pimpri-Chinchwad Church Demolished Despite Court Stay

A church in the Tapkir Mala area of Pimpri-Chinchwad was demolished during a late-night civic operation on Sunday.

The church members claim that the action was carried out despite a court stay and hours before a scheduled hearing on the structure.

The members said they had not been given prior notice before the demolition.

They also alleged that police and civic officials pushed them away from the site and stopped them from recording the action.

The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, however, said it carried out a major drive against unauthorised construction in the Rajwade Nagar area of Kalewadi under the G Ward office.

It said structures spread over around 7,400 sq ft were demolished during the operation.

Church members allege that they informed officials that a stay order was in place and that the court hearing was scheduled for the same day.

They claimed that the authorities entered the church premises and forced members away from the structure.

A young woman named Rose, who said she has been a member of the church for around 10 years, said members learnt during the night that the structure could be demolished and rushed to the spot.

She claimed that nearly 700 police personnel were present at the site.

Rose alleged that members were prevented from taking photographs and videos of the demolition.

She claimed they were threatened with having their mobile phones taken away and damaged.

The demolition damaged fans and other internal infrastructure inside the church.

The structure had been built with contributions from members, many of whom had limited incomes.

Another church member, a young man named Sam, said he had been associated with the church for five or six years.

He questioned why the action was taken only against the church, while other unauthorised structures in the area were left untouched.

The incident has raised questions about the role of the civic authorities and the police in the demolition of the church.

The church members are seeking answers from the PCMC and demanding justice for the demolition of their place of worship.

The demolition of the church has also highlighted the issue of unauthorised constructions in the area.

The PCMC has said that it will continue to take action against such structures, but the church members claim that they were not given a fair chance to present their case.

The incident is a significant development in the ongoing debate about the role of civic authorities in dealing with unauthorised constructions.

It has also raised concerns about the rights of citizens and the need for transparency and accountability in the actions of civic authorities.

In conclusion, the demolition of the church in Pimpri-Chinchwad has raised important questions about the role of civic authorities and the need for transparency and accountability.

The incident highlights the need for a fair and just approach to dealing with unauthorised constructions, and the importance of protecting the rights of citizens.