Pune illegal road digging in Susgaon has resulted in a ₹6,43,73,760 penalty imposed by the Pune Municipal Corporation’s Road Department on a construction developer, after officials found that roads had been excavated without permission over a stretch of about 1,700 metres. The same developer had earlier been fined ₹95 lakh for unauthorised excavation, but that amount has not yet been paid to the civic body.
The latest action relates to construction activity on Survey Numbers 127/1 and 2 Part/J/3 and 127/1 Part A/2 in Susgaon. The excavation was brought to the Road Department’s notice through a complaint filed by Rishikesh Kanawate, organiser of the Rayat Swabhimani organisation. The department subsequently verified the complaint and found it to be valid, according to the report.
The civic penalty has been calculated using the municipal charge applicable to agencies, private companies and developers seeking to excavate roads for laying service lines. The PMC charges ₹12,192 per running foot for such work, and permission is granted only after the prescribed amount is paid. In this case, the developer allegedly carried out the excavation without authorisation, leading the department to impose a penalty equivalent to three times the applicable charge.
Ajibhij Ambekar, superintendent engineer in the PMC Road Department, confirmed the action, according to Sakal. The civic department has been asked to recover the penalty promptly, particularly because the earlier ₹95 lakh fine imposed on the same developer remains unpaid.
The case highlights the municipal process governing road cutting for construction and utility work. Developers and agencies must obtain permission before excavating public roads and pay the applicable charges. The fees are intended to regulate work that affects public road surfaces and the city’s road maintenance responsibilities. The report does not state whether the latest penalty has been paid or whether any further enforcement action has begun.
A separate road-cutting dispute in Baner has also raised concerns over restoration quality and the handling of security deposits. In that case, a developer applied through a Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company programme to lay an electrical line, received a 50 per cent concession on the excavation fee and deposited 50 per cent of the required security amount. The developer obtained permission for about 2,800 metres but completed work over 1,800 metres within the permitted period.
The PMC has withheld the security deposit in the Baner case after finding that the road restoration was of poor quality and potholes reappeared. The road falls within the route of the Pune Grand Tour competition, and the municipal corporation will have to undertake asphalt work there, according to the report. Attempts are reportedly being made to secure the release of the deposit for the remaining work, while the PMC has declined to return it because of the expected repair cost.
The next step in the Susgaon case is recovery of the ₹6.43 crore penalty, while the earlier ₹95 lakh demand remains outstanding. The PMC Road Department’s enforcement and deposit decisions will determine whether the penalties are collected and whether affected roads are restored at the developer’s cost.
