Special court to be set up in Thane

The Maharashtra government has decided to set up a special court in neighbouring Thane, amid increasing incidents of building collapse and urban crimes there.
The State Urban Development department had forwarded a proposal in this regard to the Law and Judiciary department to seek permission from the Bombay High Court to set up this court in Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) area.
The High Court has given its nod, and has also granted permission to make 13 posts available in the special court for the judiciary process, a GR issued here said.
It also states that the civic body should make a residence available to the judge of the special court.

"Various complaints were received from builders and people over construction of buildings. Therefore to address the issue, we have decided to set up this court," Minister of State for Urban Development Uday Samant told PTI.
The judge of this special court will be of the level of additional district court judge, he said.

Samant said if such complaints are received from other parts of the state, the government would think upon setting up more such courts.
According to an official in Mantralaya, rise in illegal buildings and structures in and around Thane prompted the government to take this decision.
This year, building collapse incidents in Mumbra left many people dead, the worst being the Lucky Compound building crash in Shilphata, which claimed 74 lives.