MUMBAI, November 25: A proposal to shovel the muck out of Thane city8217;s Augean stables has been submitted to the state government but the civic chief will not be able to wipe even a speck away till the Urban Development Department UDD headed by Chief Minister Manohar Joshi takes cognisance of the file.
The proposal, forwarded by Municipal Commissioner T S Chandrashekhar in March this year with a reminder after the November 7 Sairaj building collapse, seeks special and sweeping powers to tackle illegal constructions in the state8217;s largest metropolis, second only to Mumbai. The commissioner has recommended an exclusive police station for the Thane Municipal Corporation TMC; he has sought certain powers of the collector; special courts to try cases dealing with illegal constructions; and additional civic staff, among other measures. Confirming the proposal, Chandrashekhar told Express Newsline that only extreme steps like these and an iron will can tackle the menace of illegal constructions, which comprisean astounding 80 per cent of the city8217;s buildings. The proposal was submitted by him in March this year, while surveying the city during the road-widening project. Horrified at the extent of illegal constructions and corruption among corporators, he drafted the proposal.
Following are the recommendations:
Structures conforming to the Development Plan DP but violating the Development Control Rules: Buildings violating FSI, for instance, should be either demolished or regularised after confiscating the excess FSI. These buildings could be used for public purposes such as housing the dishoused, municipal or government dispensaries, hospitals, libraries etc Among the areas referred to in the proposal is Wagle Estate, where the commissioner has decided to demolish 300 buildings following the Sairaj crash.
Disqualification of elected representatives: Corporators and other elected representatives who are either involved in illegal constructions or who interfere with action against illegalstructures should be disqualified for their remaining terms and from contesting elections. This power should be exercised directly by the government. The commissioner also recently forwarded a separate proposal to the state government seeking action against 40 corrupt TMC corporators. n An exclusive police force to handle illegal constructions: The TMC requires one assistant commissioner of police, three inspectors, six sub-inspectors, 90 constables and 16 women constables. While administrative control should rest with the civic commissioner, technical control should rest with the police chief.
Special police station: A special police station be provided to the corporation to exclusively crack down on builders under the Metropolitan Regional Town Planning Act and the BPMC Act. The corporation8217;s advocates should be empowered to plead MRTP cases.
Special courts: To try cases pertaining to illegal constructions.
Commissioner8217;s powers: The civic chief should be conferred with the right toregularise illegal, non-agricultural land like the district collector.
Penal tax: Penal tax at the rate of 2.5 times the normal property tax should be recovered from occupants of illegal buildings. Also, unauthorised buildings used for commercial purposes should be seized and used for public purposes.
Demolition squad: Needs to be strengthened. A separate cell headed by an officer of the rank of additional collector and three tehsildars for the TMC8217;s three zones should be set up under the control of the municipal commissioner.
Monitoring public amenities: Water, electricity and telephone connections be manned for new, illegal structures. For those already occupied, property tax and water charges should be levied at 2.5 times the original tax.
Architects8217; licences: The commissioner should be conferred with the right to revoke licences of architects under whose supervision illegal structures are built, besides banning them from practising within the civic limits.
DPviolations: Places reserved under the DP should be classified as: a Critical 8212; no compromise when illegal constructions exist in violation of the DP in areas reserved for public amenities like DP roads, critical road links, hospitals and schools which serve the basic interests of the people.
b Non-Critical 8211; Encroachments in non-essential areas should be confiscated and used for public purposes or regularised by charging twice the prevailing market rate.
4 min read 
