After several days of speculation sparked by unexplained banners placed at key traffic junctions across the city, a coalition of Thane residents and civil society representatives has officially launched the “Wake Up Thanekar” movement. The apolitical initiative aims to question the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) over what it describes as large-scale infrastructure expansion carried out without adequate transparency or public consultation. At a press briefing, organisers Dayanand Nene, Rajesh Kadam, Meghna Shetty, Avinash Chitnis, and Himani Verma cautioned that unchecked construction activity is pushing the city into escalating urban strain.
The group has flagged multiple concerns arising from ongoing development. Activists allege that more than 10,000 mature trees have been cut for infrastructure projects, with no publicly shared information on survival rates or compensatory plantation outcomes. They also point to worsening traffic conditions linked to Metro construction and proposed Ring Railway corridors, which they claim have reduced road capacity and eliminated crucial service lanes, intensifying congestion across Thane’s already burdened road network.
The campaign also highlights pressure from major corporate infrastructure projects, including large-scale facilities such as Amazon Data Services. Activists argue that such approvals are being granted without evaluating their impact on local water and electricity supply systems. “Tax-paying citizens are being entirely bypassed,” said co-organizer Rajesh Kadam. “We are forming a strictly non-partisan pressure group to demand equitable, well-planned development. Everyone who wants a liveable Thane is welcome.”
Going forward, the group plans to submit a formal memorandum to Municipal Commissioner Saurabh Rao, seeking a temporary suspension of ongoing high-value infrastructure projects until mandatory public hearings and citizen-led consultations are conducted. The organisers have also warned that they will explore all constitutional and democratic means to challenge projects they consider non-transparent if authorities fail to initiate dialogue.
Other supporters of the campaign include Gurusis Singh, Shrikant Barve, Hinal Jaywant, Lavanya Patil, Anil Shaligram, and Sahil Udgude.
Source: The Free Press Journal
