Nearly a month after the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) began the land acquisition process for the proposed Third Mumbai project, around 160 farmers have agreed to part with 118 hectares of land. Officials said most of those who have submitted consent are small landholders and have opted to receive 22.5% of their acquired land back as developed plots rather than monetary compensation, reflecting confidence in the long-term prospects of the planned city.
Despite this early response, the scale of the acquisition challenge remains substantial. The proposed Third Mumbai region spans 323.44 square kilometres, of which approximately 104 square kilometres are considered developable after accounting for forests, mangroves, and other environmentally sensitive areas.
The 118 hectares secured so far represent only a small fraction of the total land required. At the same time, opposition to the project is gathering momentum across parts of the Karnala-Pen-Chirner (KSC) belt in Raigad district.
“The Koli-Agri community here depends on their land for their sustenance, hence we will not give a single inch of it away,” said Rupesh Patil, general secretary of the MMRDA KSC Navnagar Virodhi Samiti.
The organisation has been conducting meetings with local farmers and has received support from former Bombay High Court judge B.G. Kolse Patil.
“Villagers here have had bad experiences with past land acquisition for projects by CIDCO and the NMIA, with many still having not received compensation. Our lands are like our security and our birthright. There is greenery, nature, lush fields, here and the authorities plan to grab all of this,” he said.
According to Patil, agriculture remains a key source of livelihood for many residents, with paddy cultivation dominating the region. He also pointed to previous movements against land acquisition, including opposition to a proposed Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in 2006.
“Due to the infrastructure projects here, our land has become valuable. If we give our land away, we will lose all we have,” said Patil.
The proposed development area covers 124 villages in the KSC belt and includes farmland as well as warehousing clusters that have emerged due to proximity to the Jawaharlal Nehru Port. Landowners can choose from multiple compensation options, including cash payments, FSI, TDR, or developed land equivalent to 22.5% of the acquired area.
MMRDA officials said the online consent process began on May 27 and will later be followed by offline verification, document scrutiny, and formal acquisition procedures. While existing villages are expected to remain untouched, authorities indicated that compulsory acquisition could be considered in certain cases if required.
Source: The Indian Express
