82% buildings in Thane unauthorised, reveals RTI query

Thane: An alarming 82 per cent of structures in Thane city are unauthorised, an RTI query claimed.

Thane-based NGO Alert Citizen Forum had filed an RTI query with Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) on May 23, seeking number of unauthorised buildings in the city.

As per reply furnished by Information officer, TMC yesterday, out of a total of 1,67,106 buildings in Thane city, only 18 per cent structures, i.e. 30,336 are authorised, while a whopping 1,36,770 are unauthorised or illegal.

These are figures as of March 31.

According to area-wise break up — Uthalsar currently has 8,822 illegal buildings, Naupada 5,393, Kopri 7,780, Kalwa 11,221, Mumbra 9,022, Railadevi 19,733, Vartak Nagar 11,957, and Manpada 9,875.

TMC in its reply said it collected property tax to the tune of Rs 345.94 crore in 2015-16. Of this, only Rs 62 crores was contributed by authorised buildings, while Rs 283.94 crore was contributed by unauthorised/illegal buildings.

The number of unauthorised buildings in Thane has been on the rise for past few years.

In 2011-12, the data was 1,24,617, 1,28,652 in 2012-13, 1,31,935 in 2013-14. The number rose to 1,34,328 in 2014-15, the data read. PTI