NMMC announces property tax amnesty scheme

NAVI MUMBAI: NMMC has declared an amnesty scheme for property tax defaulters. The scheme will be on offer for four months from December 1 to March 31. Municipal commissioner Annasaheb Misal has said the residents owe the civic body ₹1,084.58 crore in property tax.Themaximumduesarefrom non-residential property owners, amounting to ₹679 crore.

As per the scheme, property tax defaulters will get a relief of 75%oftheamountinthefirsttwo months fromDecember to January next year and 62.5% relief of the penalty amount between February and March next year.

NAVIMUMBAI: Kamothe residents have reminded the public works department (PWD) about lack of streetlights on the service road which connects Sion-Panvel Highway.

MembersofCityUnityForum (CUF)hadthreatenedbothCidco and PWD officials of hunger protest if the issues are not resolved soon. Ranjana Sadolikar, who heads CUF, said, “A few months ago, we had approached PWD and Cidco on the pending work and had threatened them with hunger protest. They has said that work would be done soon. We have asked for the status.”

Kishore Patil, PWD executive engineer, said that they are waiting for approval.

“The estimated budget for the streetlights has been sent for approval to the government. We have not yet received any reply from them. Once the budget is approved, we will take up the work,” said Patil.

The CUF members are miffed with Cidco, which has not made the Kamothe signal operational.

“The traffic is always chaotic below Kamothe flyover as the signal is not operational. Commuters follow their own rules,” said Sadolikar.

Thedemandforthestreetlight has been pending since 2014 — the electric poles have been installedbutlightshavenotbeen fitted yet.

Girish Raghuvanshi, Cidco executive engineer Kalamboli, said, “The signal will be operational in a few weeks. The engineering department is working on the creek bridge. We will discuss the structural feasibility.”

Tomakecommutingbetween Kamothe and Kalamboli smoother, the planning agency had in 2015 proposed to build a creek bridge starting from Kalamboli police headquarters to Kamothe.

NAVIMUMBAI: Heavy rainfall this monsoon has ensured that Morbe dam has enough water to last the next 12 months.

The NMMC-owned dam supplies water to Navi Mumbai and also to several Cidco areas.

Manohar Sonawane, executive engineer, Morbe, said, “There is enough water stock in Morbe dam to last till November 2020. It is full to its capacity. This will ensure regular water supply andtherewillnotbeanyneedfor a water cut.”

The Morbe catchment areas have for the first time reported more than 5,000mm rainfall in a single season.

At the start of the monsoon season,thedamhadonlyaround 40% water stock.

With little rain in June, there were concerns on whether the damwillfillupthismonsoonand hencetheadministrationstarted preparing contingency plans. NMMC announced a 10% water cut in the city due to the delayed rains.

However, July brought with it

› There is enough water stock in Morbe dam to last till November 2020. It is full to its capacity. This will ensure regular water supply and there will not be any need for a water cut. MANOHAR SONAWANE, executive engineer, Morbe,

heavy rainfall and the dam overflowed in August, bringing relief to the administration and the residents.

The dam had received a rainfall of around 4,139 mm in 2017 and 3,238 mm last year.

This year, the rainfall recorded in the region is a record 5,246.20 mm so far. Morbe catchmentareaneedsaround4000mm rainfallmoreforthedamtooverflow.

Morbe dam is Navi Mumbai’s primary source of water. It is located near Khalapur in Raigad district, at Dhavri river, which originates from Patalganga river.