THANE, March 24 -- Thane municipal commissioner Saurabh Rao on Monday presented a Rs.6,221-crore budget for the financial year 2026-27, focusing on increasing revenue without raising taxes, and on initiatives to address traffic congestion and improve water supply in the satellite city. The budget includes revenue expenditure of Rs.3,818.17 crore and capital expenditure of Rs.2,401.55 crore, with a closing balance of Rs.1.40 crore. For comparison, the total budget outlay in FY 2025-26 was Rs.5,645 crore, reflecting an increase of approximately Rs.576.02 crore this year. The civic chief claimed the budget was cost-effective and emphasised that new projects would be implemented through a public-private partnership (PPP) model without burdening the municipal treasury. The key highlights of the budget include efforts to increase revenue without raising taxes, maintaining fiscal discipline, promoting a sustainable environment, developing infrastructure for efficient transportation, transforming municipal schools, welfare schemes for women, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities, and tree conservation. During the presentation, Rao said there would be a stronger focus on making Thane free from traffic congestion. Major initiatives include the extension of the Eastern Freeway into Thane, the Anand Nagar-Saket elevated road, internal metro lines, main metro corridors, the Thane-Borivali tunnel, and the coastal road. Additionally, ensuring pothole-free roads during the upcoming monsoon season will be a priority, he said. Rao also highlighted revenue enhancement plans. The Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) aims to collect Rs.1,200 crore in property tax this financial year, up from a target of Rs.920 crore last year. Efforts are underway to identify unassessed properties using drones and mapping systems. The property tax system has also been digitised, he said. From April 1, registered taxpayers will receive tax invoices on their mobile phones. Addressing water supply, Rao stated that the city currently receives 590 million litres per day (MLD), against a demand of 621 MLD. He noted that nearly 40% of water is lost due to leakage or theft. The TMC expects to receive an additional 50 MLD of untreated water from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) soon, which will help improve supply and generate revenue, he said. The TMC also plans to increase Thane Municipal Transport's non-ticket revenue by leasing bus depots, bus stops, and buses for advertising. Additional revenue will be generated by identifying other TMC-owned lands and leasing them for hoardings, LED displays, and other outdoor advertising. Furthermore, the corporation plans to raise funds through municipal bonds in the open market, with credit rating and financial updates currently in progress. It also intends to avail a Rs.500-crore loan from the central government for drainage, road development, and infrastructure projects. Plans are also underway to raise funds for cluster development, modernisation of a 300-km sewage network, and secondary and tertiary water treatment projects....