Thane residents demand assurance from TMC before evacuation

While the TMC's evacuation drive to vacate those staying in dangerous buildings is meant to save lives, it also means those to be evacuated will be homeless. Hence, they have demanded a MoU from the TMC that whenever their buildings will be reconstructed, they should be given accommodation in them.

There are over 95 highly dangerous buildings in Thane which fall under C1 category and needs to be evacuated. From May 1 the TMC (Thane Municipal Corporation) started its evacuation drive to vacate these buildings. "Most of these buildings are in Naupada area or old Thane," says Anuj Prajapati from Thane Matdata Jagran Manch (TJMJ), adding, "Due to lack of a proper redevelopment policy, these buildings are in a dilapidated condition. And people who fear to lose their property, are scared to vacate them."

As such, over 100 Thanekars from such buildings and PAPs of road widening project took a protest to TMC headquarters on Friday. "We have been assured that those who have lost their homes in road widening will be rehabilitated," says Anuj. "However, those from dangerous buildings want a MoU from the TMC that their right on their property stays," he adds.

When contacted Sunil Chavan, additional commissioner, TMC allayed all fears of those who have been evacuated from C1 buildings. "As per the government circular, the rights of the owners and tenants to their property stay protected even after the evacuation. And the building plan will be approved after taking their rights into consideration," he adds.

Adding that there are over 2700 tenements being readied to rehabilitate those affected by TMC's road widening, he says, "But people whose houses are in CRZ and forest land will not be rehabilitated by us."