District administration to seek Maharashtra govt help to break Bopkhel logjam
Villagers forced to take 12-km detour after CME shut down 2.3-km road in campus.
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The completed bridge on Bopkhel road, which was thrown open to traffic recently. (Express Photo)
With no solution to the Bopkhel College of Military Engineering (CME) issue in sight, the administration is likely to seek the state government’s intervention, requesting the advocate general to represent the case.
On Tuesday, the high court adjourned the case as the fresh affidavit projecting the internal road within the CME as the most “feasible” option was vehemently opposed by the institute. The other stakeholder, Ammunition Factory, categorically stated that they do not want any road on its premises as it is within the red zone.
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The district administration is now likely to seek the state government’s help after the next date of hearing is fixed. “For us, the way ahead is to request the advocate general to look into the issue as there seems no solution in sight,’’ said district collector Saurabh Rao.
The issue pertains to the HC order barring Bopkhel villagers to use the internal road within CME. The district administration was asked to give options, but it turned out that constructing an alternate route would be expensive and time consuming. The administration had suggested the CME permit the use of the existing road with security measures. However, this was denied by the institute and the court stuck to the earlier order, said an official.
With the Ammunition Factory in Khadki also opposing the option put forth by the district administration and CME, the only “feasible” option was the road within the institute. Factory officials said that since it is a highly sensitive establishment, villagers cannot be given access.
To chart out alternate route options, Rao had held several meetings with representatives from the Ammunition Factory, CME, Khadki Cantonment Board, Defence Estate, PCMC, irrigation department, town planning and Southern Command .
Irrigation officials said that there was an option of a river-side road, a little away from the present road. However, since it would fall within the red and blue flood lines, only an elevated road would be granted permissions, they added. Apart from that, any other option would not be feasible technically as well as financially, they said.
“Since it will take at least two years to construct such a road, the best option is the existing road. This can be given in lieu of an old village road which CME used in the past,’’ said an official. Bopkhel villagers had to go through several checks to reach Pimpri or Dapodi when they took the 2.3 km road within the CME campus. After its closure, villagers have to take a 12-km detour via Dighi, Kalas, Shantinagar and Khadki to access the highway.
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