Paranjape Schemes Responds After Bhugaon’s Forest Trails Township Residents Hold Silent Protest | File Photo
More than 100 residents of Bhugaon’s Forest Trails Township, including retired IAS officers, doctors, engineers, chartered accountants, architects, businessmen, and entrepreneurs from various age groups ranging from 30 to 90, came together on January 6 for a silent protest against developer Paranjape Schemes at PSC House in Erandwane.
The residents allege that the developer has failed to fulfil its obligation to provide uninterrupted water and electricity as per township regulations. Despite numerous complaints and appeals over the years, no permanent solution has been provided, leaving the community struggling with basic necessities.
Milind Bembelkar, a resident, said, “Residents have been grappling with these problems for years. Water cuts happen without prior notice, and frequent power outages disrupt daily life. Recently, the water supply to the township residents was drastically reduced, and PSCL staff threatened to shut it off completely. This act is in flagrant contravention of the statutory responsibility that the Integrated Township Regulations impose on PSCL for the supply of water and uninterrupted power to township residents. Despite bringing these issues to the developer’s attention repeatedly, we are yet to see any resolution.”
Uday Kulkarni, another resident, said, “Recently, PSCL’s excuse was that they do not have funds to pay electricity charges amounting to a mere few lakhs of rupees, resulting in the electric supply being cut off and water being unable to be lifted from the Mula river. The water supply was restored only after many residents raised strong objections. To avoid the recurrence of such drastic and abrupt water cuts by the developer, a police complaint signed by hundreds of Forest Trails Township residents was registered with the police on January 2.”
Meanwhile, Sakshi Mahale, Chief Operating Officer, Forest Trails Township Management, speaking to The Free Press Journal, said these protesters are actually defaulters who have dues of more than ₹5 crore to pay.
“It is surprising, as at our Forest Trails Township, we have a township advisory committee comprising all constituents and societies residing there. The people who have reached out to you are not even part of any township advisory committees. There is a meeting with the advisory committee planned for tomorrow. So, we are surprised at this development. People reaching out and disparaging us are a handful of defaulters who still have to pay their dues totalling more than ₹5 crore. We have filed civil suits against them for recovery of the amount.”
