Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) will build two sewage treatment plants in Chikhali under the Amrut 2.0 scheme to reduce pollution in the Indrayani River. The state government’s technical committee has approved the project, which will cost ₹526 crore; the state will fund 50%, or ₹263 crore. The plants, with capacities of 40 MLD and 20 MLD, will be built near River Residency and the Chikhali crematorium. PCMC Chief Engineer Sanjay Kulkarni said work would begin soon and treated water would be released into the river. Pollution has been linked to rapid urbanisation, untreated sewage and chemical-laced water entering through the Kudulwadi drain. The Indrayani runs 18.80 kilometres through Pimpri-Chinchwad; pollution has caused foam in Alandi and affected residents along the river. The river passes through Dehu and Alandi and serves areas with about 50 lakh residents in Pimpri-Chinchwad and surrounding rural areas.

• On May 17, 2025, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) began demolishing 36 unauthorised River Villa bungalows in the Indrayani River’s blue flood line at Chikhali. Commissioner Shekhar Singh said the drive began before the monsoon, when demolition could not be carried out.
• The National Green Tribunal (NGT) ordered demolition on July 1, 2024, and ₹5 crore in environmental damage compensation from bungalow owners and other parties. After the Supreme Court initially stayed the order, it upheld the demolition and compensation. On May 4, the court disposed of the owners’ petition and directed PCMC to implement the order.
• Of the 36 structures, 35 were illegal bungalows and one structure had reached the plinth. Twenty-nine residents appealed to the Supreme Court. They bought the plots in 2021 and completed construction over the last two to three years. Residents moved belongings to relatives’ homes or rented accommodation. PCMC said it would collect the ₹5 crore compensation soon.

PCMC’s anti-encroachment drive in Chikhali-Talwade began on March 3 and is scheduled to continue until March 17 to support road development, smoother traffic and better connectivity. In the first phase, nearly 30,600 square metres of encroachments were removed from a 24-metre-wide Development Plan road between Chikhali Chowk and Sonawane Wasti. On March 5, the operation extended to a 30-metre-wide DP road connecting Dehu Alandi Road to Sonawane Wasti Chowk, covering 1,360 metres. PCMC reclaimed 9,000 square metres of public land for planned road construction. The drive was supported by Maharashtra Security Force personnel and Pimpri-Chinchwad police. Municipal commissioner Shekhar Singh said road widening was crucial amid rapid urbanisation and congestion.

Maharashtra has offered Tesla land in Chakan and Chikhali, near Pune, as possible sites for an electric-vehicle factory; no location has been finalised, and Tesla is assessing factors including port access. Chakan is a major automobile hub with Mercedes-Benz, Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, Volkswagen and Bajaj Auto, and an established supplier network. Tesla has an office there.

Tesla posted 13 India job openings in vehicle service, sales, customer support and business operations, based in Mumbai and Delhi, and is reportedly approaching experienced Tata Motors executives and other EV production and supply-chain professionals. Prashanth Menon, who previously led Tesla’s India operations and was reassigned to the Netherlands in 2022, has returned.

Tesla sought to cut import duties on fully assembled cars under $40,000 from 60% to 40% in 2021; the government declined. Tesla leased Pune office space for five years in 2023. India’s 2024 EV policy offers tax concessions to companies investing at least $500 million in local production.

The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) demolished 607 illegal constructions in Chikhali-Kudalwadi, including warehouses, factories, unauthorised sheds and scrap shops on reserved land. The drive was conducted by its Building Permission and Unauthorised Construction Control Department.

On the second day, 222 constructions spread across 42 acres and more than 1.8 million square feet were demolished. The operation involved 16 sub-engineers, 600 police officers, three fire engines and two ambulances. Police security was led by Additional Police Commissioner Vasant Pardeshi, Deputy Police Commissioner Swapna Gore and Dr. Shivaji Pawar.

So far, 1,511 illegal constructions have been demolished and 120.72 lakh square feet cleared. The operation began after businesses were given a deadline to remove unauthorised structures themselves. Officials said 50 cats left behind in a building were rescued. Demolitions will continue.