Government to protect unauthorised Thane slums

The state government on Wednesday said it will protect dwellers of slums erected prior to 2000 and also assured rehabilitation to slums erected post 2000.

Industries minister Narayan Rane said slums will not be demolished unless a rehabilitation plan is prepared. He said that, according to government policy, all slums that have come up before 2000 will be protected.

“Our endeavour will be to safeguard the interest of residents of slums that have come up after that. A detailed plan will be chalked out,” he said.

Thane district MLAs from all parties raised the issue of the 5 lakh unauthorised structures and an assurance given to the Bombay high court about their demolition.

Legislators from the opposition benches demanded that the illegal structures be regularised along the lines of those in Ulhasnagar.

Minister of state for urban development Bhaskar Jadhav said the Ulhasnagar structures were regularised because they were erected on private land, and the same rule cannot be applied to constructions in Thane as most of them are on public land.

“But we are thinking of offering extra FSI to facilitate the redevelopment of old buildings. Changes in the city’s development control rules are also under consideration,” he said.