A crane being used to demolish the dilapidated structure of Bhide Wada, where social reformer Mahatma Jyotiba Phule and his wife Savitribai Phule started the first school for girls in 1848, a month after court orders, in Pune, Monday night, Dec 4, 2023
Credit: PTI Photo
Pune: A month after court orders, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) in the early hours of Tuesday razed the dilapidated structure of Bhide Wada, where social reformer Mahatma Jyotirao Phule and his wife Savitribai Phule started the first school for girls in 1848.
Bhide Wada is located in the Budhwar Peth area of Pune.
The civic body plans to build a national memorial dedicated to the social reformer couple at the site, officials said. However, local people and traders had refused to vacate the place and moved court.
The Bombay High Court and the Supreme Court recently cleared the way for the PMC to build the national memorial at the site and ordered shop owners and tenants residing around the dilapidated structure to vacate the premises.
"The structure is being brought down and we will proceed further for the national memorial project-related work at the site," a PMC official said.
A large police force was deployed in the area as the civic body moved to raze the structure. It was completely demolished sometime after midnight.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 1) Sandip Singh Gill said since the PMC did not get possession of the property despite issuing notices to the tenants and shop owners, it had written to the police for personnel to be deployed during the action.