Thane dy mayor demands setting up of committee for planned development of city

Thane Deputy Mayor Krishna Patil on Thursday urged the Maharashtra government to establish a development committee here on the lines of the one in Mumbai to ensure a planned progress of the city. He made the demand in a written representation addressed to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Highlighting the rapid urban expansion of Thane and the increasingly complex challenges facing the metropolis, Patil said the city's development must prioritise the needs of common citizens rather than merely creating ''cement-concrete forests''. The deputy mayor proposed five primary objectives for the expert committee for ensuring transparent and meticulous implementation of the city's development roadmap. He demanded permanent solutions to issues like unauthorised constructions, encroachment by hawkers, and chronic traffic congestion. Patil also sought enhancement of civic amenities to boost the happiness index of Thane's residents. ''Just as Mumbai benefits from a dedicated development committee, Thane now requires a similar body of experts to oversee quality and planned growth. The role of an expert committee will be decisive in ensuring that the development department delivers quality work,'' the deputy mayor added.