Thane: Transport minister Pratap Sarnaik has called on the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) to postpone the proposed release of over 80 lakh square feet of Transferable Development Rights (TDR) for a reserved private plot in Chitalsar-Manpada until the city's civic infrastructure is upgraded. He questioned whether the already-strained system can handle the additional burden.
Political Opposition Grows
The demand comes amid increasing political opposition to the proposal, with BJP and NCP (SP) functionaries also expressing concerns about the city's ability to sustain such large-scale development given existing shortcomings in roads, water supply, and other civic amenities.
Sarnaik's Inspection
During an inspection of the plot near Tikuji-ni-Wadi, Sarnaik questioned the rationale behind approving a massive TDR allocation at a time when Thane is already facing mounting pressure on essential services. He urged the civic administration to postpone the decision until adequate infrastructure is in place to support both existing and future residents.
“Before approving any TDR, the administration should have assessed whether the city has adequate water supply, electricity, roads, health care facilities, sewage treatment, and solid waste management systems to accommodate the additional population. The corporation must first prepare a roadmap to strengthen infrastructure before permitting TDR utilisation,” Sarnaik said.
Concerns Over Regulations
The minister also raised concerns over the revised Unified Development Control and Promotion Regulations, under which, he claimed, developers already receive additional Floor Space Index benefits. He warned that if these benefits are combined with large-scale TDR, it could lead to increased construction and population growth without matching upgrades to roads, water supply, and other civic infrastructure.
Environmental Protection
Amid rising public concern over proposed construction activity near the city's forest fringes, Sarnaik also directed officials to ensure that no development is permitted on the green portion of the land. He insisted that the area reserved for a public garden must remain a green zone and stressed that environmental protection should be given equal importance alongside urban development.
Industry Reacts
However, real estate industry representatives argued that withholding TDR until infrastructure catches up is impractical and unfair to landowners. “Infrastructure planning is the corporation’s responsibility and should precede development approvals. Landowners should not be penalised for administrative shortcomings,” said an industry stakeholder on condition of anonymity.
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