PCMC Bulldozes 20+ Illegal Buildings: Your 5-Step Guide To Avoid Buying A Home That's Next

By Prashant for PuneriPages.in

It’s the stuff of nightmares: You spend your hard-earned money, book your dream home, maybe even start imagining your life there—only to find out the building is illegal, and PCMC is sending bulldozers.

Sounds scary? Because it is.

Over the last 10 days, Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has intensified its crackdown on illegal constructions. More than 20 under-construction structures across areas like Moshi, Dighi, and Chikhali have been demolished. But here’s the real question we all should be asking: How did these buildings get this far in the first place? And more importantly, how do YOU make sure your future home isn’t next?

Let’s break it down.

🚨 First, Why This Matters to You

While these demolitions targeted under-construction projects, it’s only a matter of time before completed but unauthorized buildings face similar action. And guess who pays the biggest price when that happens? Not the builder who disappears, but you — the buyer.

Your entire life savings, gone. No flat. No refund. Just dust and heartbreak.

🧰 The Ugly Truth: What Makes a Building “Illegal”

Let’s demystify what the authorities mean by “illegal construction”:

No Approved Building Plan: The structure was built without permission from PCMC.
Plan Deviations: Extra floors, no open space, or wrong usage (commercial on residential land).
Built on Reserved Land: Sometimes builders illegally build on land meant for parks, roads, or government use.

✅ Your 5-Step Homebuying Safety Checklist

If you’re in the market for a home in PCMC areas, this is your ultimate safety net:

Check RERA Registration
- Visit the MahaRERA site. No listing? Big red flag.
Ask for the Sanctioned Plan
- Builders must show you PCMC-approved building plans. Compare them with what’s on-site.
Verify the Commencement Certificate
- This proves the project had legal approval to begin construction.
Confirm Land Title
- Get a lawyer to verify the builder actually owns the land and it’s zoned for building.
Visit PCMC Town Planning Office
- Cross-check permissions personally. It’s your right, and could save your future.

📃 Why Does This Keep Happening?

Let’s be real. Buildings don’t magically pop up overnight. They take months. So how does PCMC “discover” illegality only when a building is 80% complete?

That’s the question we all must ask. Is it a loophole? Or something more serious like neglect, corruption, or lack of coordination among departments?

Either way, the onus often falls unfairly on citizens.

💬 What PCMC Is Saying

A PCMC official shared, “We are intensifying our drive and will not spare any illegal structure. The public should not invest without due diligence.”

Great. But that doesn’t absolve authorities from catching these issues before the fifth floor is complete. We need early warnings, not just post-demolition headlines.

🚫 Don’t Just Rely on Builders

Always remember: Builders are sellers, not your lawyers.

Even if they show you glossy brochures, ready-to-move models, or sweet EMI offers, never skip your background checks.

Being cautious might feel like extra work today, but it could protect your future forever.

📋 Final Word

PCMC’s crackdown is real. The risks are real. But so are the tools to protect yourself.

At PuneriPages.in, we believe that every Punekar deserves a safe, legal, and peaceful home. Share this guide with friends or family looking to buy property. It might just save someone from disaster.

Stay alert. Stay smart. Stay legal.