In a major relief for residents of Ulhasnagar, Municipal Commissioner Manisha Awhale issued an official statement cancelling the recently proposed water tax hike. The Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation had earlier announced a steep increase, doubling the existing water charges in its annual budget. This sparked outrage among local citizens and political groups. Initially, the administration did not respond to public concerns, which further intensified protests. However, after sustained pressure from various quarters, including political leaders and citizens' groups, the decision was rolled back, offering significant financial relief to thousands of households in the city.
The movement against the water tax hike was first initiated by Omi Kalani, who submitted a memorandum to Member of Parliament Dr. Shrikant Shinde. Following this, local MLA Kumar Ailani met with Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to raise the issue at the state level. These efforts seemed to have accelerated the rollback process. Last week, Kalani and his team met MP Shinde and submitted a detailed representation. Political momentum gained further traction when, on Tuesday, Ailani and BJP district chief Rajesh Vadharia met with Fadnavis and demanded immediate cancellation of the hike.
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Later that evening, MLA Ailani held a press conference to announce the rollback, and the official confirmation came the next day through a press release issued by Commissioner Manisha Awhale. While citizens welcomed the move, political factions have now begun claiming credit for the decision. Supporters of both Ailani and Kalani are actively publicizing their respective roles in the development. Observers note that with municipal elections around the corner, the cancellation may have been politically motivated to avoid voter backlash and regain public confidence before polling.
Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation heavily relies on property tax and water tax as its main sources of revenue. With the rollback of the water tax hike, there are now speculations that the state government may provide special financial assistance to compensate for the revenue loss. Meanwhile, MLA Kumar Ailani has also revealed that the Chief Minister has approved an expansion of the city’s Central Hospital. Given the rising number of patients, the hospital will now be developed into a 400-bed facility, which is expected to significantly improve healthcare services in the region.