3,800 residents give feedback on Panvel municipal body

More than 3,800 residents have submitted various objections and suggestions for the formation of Panvel Municipal Corporation (PMC).

In a government resolution (GR) issued on May 16, a month’s time was given to the residents to submit their views. Many meetings were held throughout the district regarding the circular.

The proposed PMC includes City and Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco) areas such as Kharghar, Kamothe, Kalamboli, New Panvel, Taloja and Navde.

This also includes 68 revenue villages of Panvel taluka and Panvel municipal council. With the region rapidly developing, the population is also increasing.

With agencies such as Cidco and MIDC present, projects like metro, proposed international airport, Panvel terminus, among others are in progress.

Kharghar, however, has opposed the move. Around 10,000 residents have participated in a signature campaign opposing the inclusion of Kharghar. The petition was submitted to the Raigad district collector.

Except for BJP, all other parties have demanded that a local body should be formed for Kharghar.

A district official, requesting anonymity, said, “With the last date for submission of suggestions ending on June 15, the applications are being scrutinised.”

Soon hearings will be conducted for citizens who have submitted their opinion.

“The district administration will then prepare a report and also details of the citizens’ objections which will be sent to the urban development department of the state government. An official announcement of Panvel Municipal Corporation is possible on July 15,” he said.

A 17-year-old vehicle thief, who had been operating in the city for the past several months, was arrested on Wednesday.

The police have recovered nine stolen two-wheelers from his possession. The accused, a resident of the MIDC area would roam around in the city and look for vehicles parked near offices and private companies. “While investigating a robbery case in Chichpada, we detained him. During interrogation he confessed to the thefts,” said Babsaheb Tute, police inspector from Rabale MIDC police station.

“The accused single-handedly committed all these crimes. He stole these vehicles in the past three months and was planning to sell these to some people in the city. We are now on the lookout for those people. We are investigating if the accused had sold them such vehicles earlier too,” he said.

The police booked him under section 379 of IPC. He has been sent to a remand home in Bhiwandi. “He had been stealing vehicles for easy money,” another police officer said.