October 23, 2025: The Mahayuti government has intensified its focus on developing the “third” and “fourth” Mumbai as part of its larger Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) growth strategy. Following the inauguration of the Navi Mumbai International Airport, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced plans to develop a “fourth Mumbai” in Palghar district, complementing the “third Mumbai” initiative earlier declared by then Chief Minister Eknath Shinde near Atal Setu.
The Mahayuti and the BJP’s upcoming campaign for local body elections will revolve around these ambitious infrastructure projects, including airports, metro lines, elevated roads, and the upcoming Vadhavan Port, three times larger than JNPA in Raigad. “Delaying the project is the sin of the opposition,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi remarked during the airport inauguration, while Fadnavis later accused opposition forces of obstructing development, saying, “It is Naxalites who are blocking projects by taking supari.”
The government envisions Mumbai III and IV as new economic hubs to complement the existing financial capital. Mumbai III, planned near Atal Setu, will be three times the size of Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, with specialized zones such as EduCity, Sports City, and a Cyber Security Centre. Meanwhile, Mumbai IV will rise near Palghar, anchored by the proposed Vadhavan Port and a new airport, which is currently under pre-feasibility study by MADC.
The BJP and Shinde-led Shiv Sena aim to leverage these projects to consolidate influence in key municipal corporations — Thane, Navi Mumbai, Kalyan-Dombivli, Vasai-Virar, and Mira-Bhayandar. However, opposition leaders like Raj Thackeray have raised concerns over environmental impact, land acquisition disputes, and alleged motives behind the Palghar projects.
As the Mumbai Metropolitan Region heads toward elections, development of the third and fourth Mumbai is set to dominate political discourse — symbolizing both Maharashtra’s urban ambition and the ruling alliance’s electoral strategy.
Source: Loksatta
