Thane civic properties under scanner as BJP MLA pushes for white paper

THANE: BJP MLA Sanjay Kelkar has sought a ‘white paper’ from the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) on the functioning of its property department, alleging irregularities in the use and leasing of civic properties in the city. Kelkar raised the issue during a meeting with Thane Municipal Commissioner Saurabh Rao on Tuesday, where several civic concerns were discussed, according to a release issued by his office. The Thane MLA alleged that the TMC’s property department oversees hundreds of civic properties, many of which, he claimed, are either being misused or rented out without adequate transparency. He demanded that such properties be reclaimed, notices be served to the concerned parties, and a detailed ‘white paper’ be published outlining the department’s assets and transactions. The municipal commissioner directed the concerned officials to take appropriate action on the matter. Kelkar also highlighted the condition of contract workers employed by the civic body, alleging that contractors were exploiting them by not paying minimum wages and failing to provide mandatory facilities. He further pointed to the large number of pending inheritance rights (heirship transfer) cases and urged the civic administration to ensure their early disposal. The BJP leader also pressed for expediting the proposed ‘Colour Museum’ project in Thane, stating that a world-class facility could be developed in the city. He said he had been consistently pursuing the project for the past year and called for immediate steps to advance it. Additionally, Kelkar raised the 2017 incident in which a local resident died after a tree fell on him. He said that despite prior assurances, the deceased’s wife had not yet been provided the promised job in the municipal corporation. The commissioner took note of the issue and directed officials to act. Kelkar also sought strict implementation of the hawker policy, claiming that in the absence of proper enforcement, unauthorised hawkers had proliferated, leaving little space on roads and footpaths for pedestrians.