THANE: Days after Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) commissioner Saurabh Rao ordered officials to complete land acquisition for the long-delayed Diva Road Over Bridge (ROB), with police protection if required, the civic body razed a building next to the under-construction bridge on Thursday, leaving its residents homeless days before Diwali.
A local social worker, Rohidas Munde, criticised the demolition, alleging that farmers whose land was taken for the project have yet to receive fair compensation. “Making common people homeless in the name of development is not development. Munde claimed that properties of several politicians were also affected by the project and alleged that no action was being taken against those structures built on farmers’ land. Calling the role of civic officials suspicious, he demanded an impartial inquiry. This is the second time demolitions for the ROB have been carried out just before Diwali. CR completed its portion over the tracks, but the approach ramps on both sides, which are the TMC’s responsibility, remain unfinished.
In 2021, the TMC razed several buildings for the project ahead of the festival. The Diva ROB on the Central Railway (CR) section began in 2019. The TMC had set a December 2026 deadline.
We want the ROB too, but we will not tolerate bulldozers being used only on common people’s homes,” he said.
