Uttan villagers await property cards

Mumbai: Thousands of villagers living in and around the coastal belt of Uttan in Bhayandar are still waiting to get the property cards for their land which are yet to be tagged with the much needed city survey (CTS) numbers.

This condition is despite the government orders mandating the civic bodies to survey villages and tag properties with CTS numbers.

In 2008, the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) had appointed a private agency to survey all revenue villages and gaothans in its jurisdiction mainly Navghar, Goddev, Khari, Penkarpada, Kashi Versave, Chene, Laxmi Baug, Ghodbunder, Uttan, Chowk, Pali, Dongri and Tarodi.

However, owing to strong opposition from locals of five villages including Uttan, Chowk, Pali, Dong-ri and Tarodi, the survey had failed to take off.

After much reluctance, the villagers agreed and the MBMC passed a fresh resolution in the month of February, this year, for recommencement of the survey. However, since then nothing has moved ahead.

“Until, officials from the revenue wing, land settlement and records are roped in to chalk out a road map to conduct the survey nothing is going to move ahead.” said an official requesting anonymity.

Due to the absence of CTS numbers, the villagers are deprived of official permissions to repair or reconstruct their ancestral homes.

Also a section of illiterate locals, especially tribals and poor fishermen, have become vulnerable targets of land sharks.

The city survey record for each individual parcel of land has to be created and given a particular number that is known as city survey number.