Thane Municipal Corporation Cuts 129 Water Connections In A Day; Recovers ₹2 Crore In Tax Arrears

The Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) has intensified its water tax recovery drive by disconnecting water connections of defaulters. In a single day, 129 connections were cut off, while a total of 12,790 water connections have been disconnected over the past year due to non-payment of arrears.

According to TMC officials, the civic body recovered ₹2 crore in a single day during the drive. The initiative aims to maximize arrear recovery by the end of March.

An official from TMC’s Water Tax Department stated that action is being taken against housing complexes, towers, and commercial establishments. Ravindra Manjrekar, TMC’s Public Relations Officer, said, "We have issued notices to 13,402 water tax defaulters in the past year. Additionally, 2,361 motor pumps have been seized, and 676 pump rooms have been sealed."

A tax collection review meeting was held at the TMC headquarters, chaired by Municipal Commissioner Saurabh Rao, with officials from all wards in attendance. Rao instructed officials to achieve their recovery targets by the end of March.

TMC’s Water Supply Department reported that the total outstanding water tax for the fiscal year amounts to ₹225 crore, of which ₹136 crore has been recovered so far. The corporation has urged citizens to clear their dues by March-end, warning that defaulters will face strict action, including supply disconnection, in the first week of April.

To encourage timely payments, TMC launched the Abhaya Yojana, which initially ran from March 1 to March 15, 2025, offering a 100% waiver on interest and penalties. However, due to the ongoing recovery drive, the scheme has been extended until March 31, 2025.