The Thane Lok Sabha constituency — comprising of three major civic bodies namely Thane, Navi Mumbai and Mira Bhayander — has been in the limelight for various commercial developmental projects including office towers, shopping complexes, and entertainment facilities et cetera. But issues directly affecting the public discourse like unemployment, inadequate transport infrastructure, traffic congestion, water scarcity, rising slums, and increasing population may continue to pose challenges. One of the reasons behind the same is the shut down of labour-intensive manufacturing and engineering industries of their inability to keep pace with a rise in population.
Even as the services sector including retail, housing and hospitality have developed in Thane — a region with a population of 22 lakh — job creation for both, skilled and unskilled manpower will be an issue that will have to be effectively addressed to by elected representatives and the party in power.
In terms of housing, despite witnessing a slew of housing projects, affordable home is a distant dream for Thane, Navi Mumbai and Mira Bhayander residents; the much-debated cluster development projects, too, are moving at a snail's pace.
Even as Shiv Sena MP from the constituency, Rajan Vichare has made tall claims of having given a boost to development projects, the party faces a huge challenge if it decides to go solo in the upcoming Lok Sabha election. Shiv Sena and Vichare plan to reach out to voters on the development plank and are aiming to reap the benefits of a strong organisational network.
However, the BJP is disappointed with Vichare's performance and wants to do away with his inaction by selling an alternate growth plan to the voters in case an alliance does not work out. Similarly, the NCP, which had won the seat in the 2009 election, proposes to expose the Shiv Sena's non-performance. But it will have to strive in order to stage a comeback due to a weak organisation.
While on one hand, Vichare, in his self-defence, claims he carried out over 250 projects in multiple sectors including transport, public health, water, education by mobilising adequate funds through his corpus and concerned departments. On the other hand, other parties and Thanekars have a different version to share; little has been done, they say, to decongest traffic, control pollution, burgeoning water scarcity, ageing infrastructure and growth of slums.
BJP legislator Sanjay Kelkar says Vichare's inaction and ineffective performance in the past five years cannot be overlooked. "Thane needs a separate dam to meet its rising demand for water. But no progress has been made on this front. It was due to the BJP-led government in the state and the Centre that Thane city and other segments are witnessing the implementation of transport infrastructure projects including metro, rail overbridge and logistic parks,'' Kelkar said.
Kelkar's view is critical in the light of the Bombay high court's recent scathing remark saying that water shortage will soon make Thane the next Marathwada, a water deficit region. Water scarcity is a fast-approaching problem for Navi Mumbai too despite its own irrigation dam; the primary reason is a spur in realty development. The residents of Mira Bhayander, despite efforts to streamline water supply, rely on tankers.
Former MP, Anand Paranjape, also NCP's Thane unit chief blames the Sena for not taking concrete steps to build a dam despite ruling the civic body for over 25 years. "Besides, the construction of flyovers in the city has missed several deadlines while the construction of new Thane railway station, which was proposed by former MP Prakash Paranjape, has yet to see light of the day. The decongestion at the Thane railway station should have been done on a priority basis but it still remains on the paper,'' he said.
Urban development expert, Sulakshana Mahajan says a piecemeal approach will not work to meet growth challenges. "Thane and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) need a single transport authority for speedy implementation to streamline the public transport considering rapid urbanisation,'' Mahajan said.
She hinted that job creation will be a major challenge especially in the wake of the rising population and constraints in the growth of manufacturing units. On the other hand, Paranjape says that the growth of micro, small and medium scale enterprises will have to be encouraged through adequate funding as they are the reservoir of employment.
The Thane civic body had submitted a re-modelling and distribution network to be laid for parts of Ghodbunder and Mumbra areas under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) scheme. Kalwa was one of the pockets where there was a demand of re-modelling. The Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) will, through its funds, re-model Kalwa, which currently witnesses the worst traffic jam. The civic body also plans to install smart metres to monitor water supply in order to curb rampant and undisciplined use of water. At the end of the day, the onus for the same lies on the elected representative.
SERVICES SECTOR GROWS, BUT CIVIC ISSUES REMAIN
Labour-intensive manufacturing & engineering units have come to a standstill, thereby ascending unemployment problem
CONSTITUENCY PROFILE AND DEMOGRAPHICS
Ranjan Vichare is a member of the Standing Committee on industry and a member of the Consultative Committee on Urban Development, Housing and Urban Power Alleviation. The Thane Lok Sabha constituency comprises of six assembly segments including Thane (BJP), Kopri-Pachpakhadi (Shiv Sena), Ovala-Majiwada (Shiv Sena), Airoli (NCP), Belapur (BJP), and Mira Bhayander (BJP). The constituency has three civic bodies under itself including the Thane , Navi Mumbai, and Mira Bhayander.
Rajan Baburao Vichare, Shiv Sena MP
POLITICAL EQUATIONS
In 2014
Shiv Sena nominee, Rajan Vichare, also former city mayor, secured a comfortable victory riding the Modi wave. Sena had a seat sharing pact with the BJP. Strong cadre base supporting the saffron alliance and a divided opposition came in handy for Vichare’s victory.
In 2019
The Shiv Sena will make every attempt to retain the seat. However, it depends on how the Shiv Sena and BJP’s pre-poll alliance shapes up. United they stand, divided they may fall.
PERFORMANCE OF MPS
- 52 Debate
- 510 Questions
- 0 Private Members’ Bills
- 78% Attendance
UTILISATION OF MPLAD FUNDS
- Rs 25 cr Entitlement to constituency
- Rs 17.50 cr Fund released by GOI
- Rs 14.23 cr Expenditure
- Utilisation percentage over amount released 81.31%
- Unspent balance 18.69%
THUS SPOKE JANATA
Even as Thane is developing as a smart city, it lacks basic infrastructure. Creation of more public parking spaces and Wi-Fi connectivity should be implemented without further delays
— Dharmu Vanjani, Thane-based businessman
Vichare should have equally carried out projects in Navi Mumbai as in Thane. This is necessitated in view of Navi Mumbai’s strategic location and its emergence as leading IT hub
— Shubham Patil, Navi Mumbai resident
Employment for skilled and unskilled youth and security for unorganised sector will have to be addressed on a priority basis. Residents should not be victim of inaction of elected representatives
— Vijay Joshi, Senior citizen
Coordination among various departments, which is currently missing, is quite essential for speedy and timely project development. Public transport needs to be given a top priority
— Sulakshana Mahajan, Urban Planning expert
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PERFORMANCE OF MPS
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