The announcement is a relief for those who never wanted their sprawling homes to turn into 325 square feet units.
Thane guardian minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday asked the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) to put off implementation of cluster development scheme (CDS) in gaothans, padas and tribal areas of the city. The announcement is a relief for those who never wanted their sprawling homes to turn into 325 square feet units.
"There is a standing instruction from the minister to withhold the scheme till the residents of these areas give their consent," said Sandip Malvi, public relations officer of the TMC.
The decision was taken after corporators from Ovala, Kasarvadavli, Bhayanderpada, Mogharpada in Thane conveyed how the residents are opposed to cluster development. Various gaothan associations had come together to object to the decision.
"Our houses are 2,000 to 2,500 square feet, we have cow stables of the same size," said Govind Bhagat, Aagri Yuvak Sanghatna (Aayus), Thane. "We do not want to give up such a big land and stay in cluster homes," he said. "CDS is nothing but a renamed BSUP scheme." BSUP is a project to provide Basic Services for Urban Poor.
Another resident, Rajesh Patil from Kasarvadavli, said, "I have a 1,600 sq ft house. And they are offering 325 sq ft house under the cluster scheme. I cannot trade my house for such a small apartment," he said, adding that the scheme is to regularise illegal slums, and gaothans are not slums.
The residents want TMC to survey gaothans. "Our three generations have lived in these gaothans. We want that to be included in the survey. Except for TMC taxes no other taxes should be levied on us," Bhagat said. A gaothan survey was done by TMC in 2003. But locals in Mumbra and Kalwa opposed it and the survey was incomplete.
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