19 November,2016 09:30 PM IST | | Faisal Tandel
Thane Municipal Corporation wakes up after mid-day reported how illegal shops began mushrooming months after they were razed
Most of the illegal shops that had come up in Mumbra were razed on Friday
Taking note of the fact that more than 40 per cent of the shops that were demolished in Mumbra in the month of May have come up again, the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) took strict action on Friday and demolished most of the structures. The step was taken on the day mid-day published a report on the illegal shops coming up again in the area and shattering the residents' dream of having unclogged roads.
However, locals are of the opinion that the TMC authorities have taken action only against the common man, as they have not even touched a party office in the area. The office of former Congress corporator Rajan Kine, who has recently shifted to the Nationalist Congress Party, has not been demolished even though eight shops near it have been razed.
Sources claim that it is a gift for Kine as he would be celebrating his birthday today. They are also of the opinion that it took plenty of time for the civic officials to demolish the shops, as they were under extreme political pressure.
Other complaints
Meanwhile, residents complained that even though the shops have been demolished, the parked vehicles on the road continue to keep the area congested.Rafiq Kamdar, a local activist from Mumbra said, "We are happy that the authorities have taken action against the illegal shops or else the road-widening project would have remained a distant dream. But action should be taken against all the illegal constructions that have come up in the area.
Only a few should not be targeted. Municipal commissioner Sanjeev Jaiswal should take action against executive engineer Dhananjay Gosavi as he is allowing all the illegality to prevail in Mumbra by not giving the correct information to his seniors."
mid-day's report on the illegal structures co
mid-day impact
Public relation officer and deputy municipal commissioner Sandeep Malvi said, "We took action against the illegal structures after the mid-day report. We are doing our best."
