Premium

Kudalwadi demolition drive: Small, medium-scale units in Maharashtra in soup as they struggle to dispose of scrap metals

On average, the Kudalwadi area processed 4,000-5,000 tonnes of scrap metal every month; 4,000 illegal structures, including scrap godowns, were razed in the area as part of anti-encroachment drive.

As part of an anti-encroachment drive, Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) carried out a massive demolition drive based on the Bombay High Court ruling in which 4,000 illegal structures, including scrap godowns, were razed in the Kudalwadi area.

The recent massive demolition of illegal structures, including scrap godowns, in the Kudalwadi area of Pimpri Chinchwad has left the small and medium-scale industries in Pune, Talegaon, Chakan, and other areas in Maharashtra in dire straits. For, the small units in Kudalwadi were the one-stop destination for these industries to dispose of their scrap metals.

On average, the Kudalwadi area processed 4,000-5,000 tonnes of scrap metal every month. The units broke down the scrap metal into smaller ingots, which were sent as raw material for the casting industries. The scraps are generated mainly from metal-consuming industries that manufacture automobile parts components etc. The dealers purchased the scrap and resold them to the scrap dealers in Kudalwadi.

Also Read | Anti-encroachment drive at Kudalwadi-Chikhali area: Tales of tears as PCMC razes 4,000 illegal structures

According to Sandeep Belsare, president of the Small Scale Industries Association of Pimpri Chinchwad, many units are yet to receive any payment for the scrap they had sold and many are struggling to get their scrap cleared leading to a space crisis. “We do not know what to do with the scrap metal generated. Space is a constraint for the units – we are yet to find a solution,” he said. Belsare said they fear industries would encounter a crisis of disposing of scrap or might have to sell it to vendors at cheap rates.

Deepak Karandikar, former president of the Mahratta Chamber of Commerce Industries and Agriculture (MCCIA), also echoed the same sentiment.

Other industries said they were worried about the sudden shortage of scrap vendors caused by the demolition drive. “Creation of a logistic chain is not easy – to expect an overnight solution is unreasonable. We are looking at other places for disposal of scrap,” said an industrialist who dealt with scrap in the area.

Parthasarathi Biswas

Partha Sarathi Biwas is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express with 10+ years of experience in reporting on Agriculture, Commodities and Developmental issues. He has been with The Indian Express since 2011 and earlier worked with DNA. Partha's report about Farmers Producer Companies (FPC) as well long pieces on various agricultural issues have been cited by various academic publications including those published by the Government of India. He is often invited as a visiting faculty to various schools of journalism to talk about development journalism and rural reporting. In his spare time Partha trains for marathons and has participated in multiple marathons and half marathons. ... Read More

Click here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories