‘Magnet cities will decongest metros’

The state government is contemplating the formation of magnet cities as a measure to de-congest metropolises that are overcrowded due to migration from other states and also from the rural parts of the state.

Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan on Tuesday said in the state assembly that the development of the cities surrounding the metropolis was being considered by his government. “We will attract corporate houses to shift their headquarters and offices to these cities so that the metropolises are de-congested,” Chavan added.

He said that it would be wrong to say that people from other states are only migrating to the big cities of Maharashtra as even migration from rural areas to the cities is huge. “Providing basic amenities to people in metropolis is a huge challenge before the state government,” he said.

Chavan said that the act that fixes the responsibility of illegal and unauthorised constructions on the civic officers has been passed by the state legislature and the president’s assent is awaited. He said that the president’s nod will help the government curb encroachments.

The chief minister also said that his government was thinking of amending the Maharashtra Regional Town Planning Act to give it more teeth. “It’s true that the act lacks provisions on some important factors such as solid waste management, water supply and other infrastructural facilities and needs to be amended accordingly. We have appointed a committee under the town planning director last month. The report is expected to be submitted in one year, after which the changes in the act would be initiated,” he said.