The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s (PCMC) demolition drive in the slum pockets of Kala Khadak area of Pimpri-Chinchwad has sparked sharp criticism from affected residents and local activists, who allege that the civic body carried out the action in haste, with little warning and no concrete relief or rehabilitation plan in place.

As part of an ongoing road-widening project, PCMC officials conducted a demolition drive early on Wednesday morning, razing dozens of houses and structures in the densely populated locality. The civic body maintains that the drive was necessary to clear encroachments that were obstructing a crucial road expansion plan. However, many locals say they were given very little time to evacuate.

“We were told barely a few hours before that we need to vacate. Earlier, when we took out a protest against the demolition drive, we were told that we would get three months to make alternative arrangements. How can a family move their entire life in just a day?” questioned Hanuman Shinde, a local resident whose home was brought down in the operation.