Cluster development: Thane municipal corporation picks 44 spots

The Thane municipal corporation, gung ho about its cluster development project, has finalised 44 spots in the city where clusters will be developed. It has given Thanekars a 30-day period to go through the list and raise objections if any. The irony, however, is the list has not been uploaded yet on its website while the last day to raise objections is May 26.

More than 5,000 old, dilapidated and dangerous illegal buildings — which have been a headache to the TMC for quite a while — will be redeveloped under the cluster development scheme. The first phase of the CD (cluster development) will begin by Diwali this year. “The scheme will be launched in 11 sectors of Thane at 44 locations in the first phase,” says Sandip Malvi, deputy commissioner, TMC.  “The government has approved the cluster plan under which these 44 spots have been identified,” he says.

In Thane, over 5,903 hectares of land is available for development out of which 22% will be developed under the cluster scheme. “The list of these spots have been uploaded on our website and any citizen who has any objection against the cluster scheme can send it to the TMC commissioner in the next 30 days. After which the plan will be sent to the state government’s high power committee for its final nod,” he says.

Many said they tried to access the list on the TMC link  www.tmctp.thanecity.gov.in but in vain.  “We were told that the list is there on TMC’s link but it is not accessible,” says Sanjeev Sane from Thane Matdata Jagaran Manch (TMJM).  “When we inquired with the TMC’s urban town planning department they asked us to give a pen drive in which they would download the list and give us,” he says.  He adds it is May 10 when the TMC has announced the list.  “How can we raise objections when the list is declared so late and also not available?  We want the TMC to extend the time limit,” he adds.