Something strange has cropped up right next to Pune International Airport, and it’s got people talking. An unauthorized shrine, known as a mazar, has appeared out of nowhere, so close to the airport that you can stand there and watch planes coming and going without much effort. This odd situation didn’t go unnoticed for long—someone raised the alarm and took it straight to Muralidhar Mohol, the country’s Minister of State for Civil Aviation, with a formal complaint. What’s even more shocking is how this shrine came to be. Unknown folks didn’t just set it up quietly; they went as far as tearing down part of the airport’s boundary wall and then rebuilding it with a little tweak to make room for their structure. For the regular travelers who drive along the road near the airport every day, this change stuck out like a sore thumb. One of those daily commuters couldn’t ignore it anymore and decided to speak up, lodging a complaint with Mohol’s office to get this sorted out.

If you take a closer look, you’ll see exactly what’s going on with the wall itself. The compound wall of the Pune International Airport in Lohgaon used to run straight alongside the road, no interruptions. But now, as pictures clearly show, "the compound wall running parallel to the road until a mazar comes up, where the wall bends inwards to accommodate the Muslim structure" stands out plain as day. It’s not just a small shift either—it’s a noticeable curve, carved out to fit this unauthorized mazar snugly into the space. Naturally, this has stirred up some frustration. The complaint filed with Mohol’s office didn’t pull any punches, saying this encroachment isn’t just an eyesore—it’s causing real problems. "A complaint was lodged with the office of Murlidhar Mohol, Minister of State for Civil Aviation of India, to act to remove the encroachment that the complainant asserts often causes traffic congestion on that stretch of the road because of the existence of the unauthorised structure that the complainant said didn’t previously exist." The commuter who brought this up told Mohol’s team that this mazar wasn’t there before, and now it’s clogging up the road for everyone who passes by.

A source close to the situation spilled some details to OpIndia, saying, "A daily commuter has appraised the Minister’s office about the emergence of what he says is an unauthorised mazar on the road close to the Pune International Airport." It’s not hard to see why this has people worried. This isn’t just about one random shrine popping up—it’s part of a bigger headache. All over the place, these kinds of unauthorized religious structures seem to appear out of thin air, and it’s putting civic authorities in a tough spot. They’re stuck trying to keep things orderly and lawful while tiptoeing around religious feelings. Even though there are strict rules against building anything like this on public or restricted land, these illegal mazars keep showing up, and it’s got folks across Pune—and beyond—pretty concerned.

Take what happened in Pune as a prime example. The airport officials didn’t have much choice; they had to tweak the boundary wall to make space for this shrine. It’s a clear sign of how tricky it is to stick to urban planning rules when something like this springs up overnight. This isn’t just a one-off problem either—it’s the kind of thing that could drag on and create headaches for years if it’s not dealt with properly. The complainant didn’t hold back on that fear either, warning that if the protective wall of an international airport can be rearranged for an unauthorized shrine, who knows what could happen down the line? It’s a chilling thought. And it’s not just Pune—there’s a pattern here. People have noticed this trend of unauthorized setups—like shrines, dargahs, or mosques—popping up near railways, airports, and other big infrastructure spots, almost like they’re keeping tabs on everything. A while back, something similar happened in Mumbai, where an unauthorized structure went up on a rock in the Arabian Sea, raising eyebrows about monitoring sea movements. MNS chief Raj Thackeray called it out loud and clear in a speech, and thankfully, the government stepped in fast and tore it down.

But the story doesn’t end there. Another unauthorized construction was spotted near the site of the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport, and now here we are with this mazar right next to Pune’s airport. It’s a cycle that keeps repeating—someone builds something without permission, uses it to watch key places like airports or railways, and then when the authorities try to take it down, the excuse is that it’ll hurt religious sentiments. That’s why the complainant is pushing hard, demanding that this unauthorized shrine near Pune International Airport be removed—and fast. The plea’s gone straight to Muralidhar Mohol, with hopes he’ll take swift action to nip this in the bud before it turns into something bigger.