PCMC Executive Engineer, Deputy Engineer Suspended Over Building Permission Complaint

Pimpri : PCMC Commissioner Dr. Vijay Suryawanshi has suspended Executive Engineer Vijay Sonawane and Deputy Engineer Ashok More of the civic body’s Building Construction Department following a complaint alleging a demand for excess money for issuing a building permission certificate.

The action followed a complaint by BJP corporator Tushar Hinge to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis regarding alleged irregularities in the building permission department. Fadnavis had directed the municipal commissioner to conduct an inquiry, following which show-cause notices were issued to the concerned officials.

The complaint concerned a residential-cum-commercial building in Punawale, where discrepancies were reportedly found between the amounts mentioned in Form A and Form B towards administrative charges for obtaining the occupancy certificate.

Sonawane and More were asked to explain the discrepancy, but their replies were found unsatisfactory by the department head. The commissioner subsequently ordered their suspension, citing violation of provisions of the Maharashtra Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1979.

The administration department has been directed to initiate a departmental inquiry against both officials and submit the chargesheet within 15 days. Hinge had also complained to the Chief Minister against the then Joint City Engineer of the Building Construction Department, but no action has been taken against the officer so far.