PUNE: With encroachments on a rapid rise in the city, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has sent a detailed report of the incidence to the state government seeking permission to set up at least four police chowkies and one police station to tackle exclusively with such cases.

While encroachments remain a chronic problem with the municipal corporation, there is not enough staff and systems in place to initiate immediate action against offenders.

Ramesh Shelar, head of the encroachment department at the PMC, said the proposal sent to the state government had four basic aspects.

One is increasing our security staff strength to 500,  four police chowkies within each of the four police zones, under a special police station and also setting up of special courts to decide the huge pendency of encroachment related litigations.

The proposal, which was sent about 15 days ago, was actually in respond to queries by the state government, which had offered to provide its help on various counts.

Despite several announcements that the state government would begin satellite imaging of the city’s building line, to keep encroachments under check, there has been no such move so far.

The corporation does have it own court, but even that appears to be falling short in dealing with encroachment related cases, such is their incidence, officials said.

However, no matter, how much manpower is provided to the encroachment staff, unless and until the building permission section brings it to their notice. There are enough high-rise buildings built in complete violation of rules to which officials from the building permission turn a Nelson’s eye.