Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) Chief Raj Thackeray has raised concerns over the state government’s plans for the proposed ‘Third Mumbai’, alleging that local residents are being kept unaware of the development plans while their land is being acquired.
Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, Thackeray questioned whether people in Maharashtra, particularly young residents, were adequately informed and prepared for the proposed new city. The Karnala-Sai-Chirner (KSC) New Town, spread across around 323.44 sq km and 124 villages in Raigad district, is being planned as a major urban and economic centre.
The proposed city will include facilities such as an education hub, medical city, sports infrastructure, data centres, global capability centres and research facilities.
“Does Maharashtra know what the government intends to do in Third Mumbai? Are our youth ready for this?” Thackeray asked.
He claimed that land acquisition across Pen, Panvel and Uran talukas could affect the livelihoods of local residents. “What is the state government doing for local people? Is the government preparing the youth for this new city? On the other hand, other states know what is happening here. They are preparing their youth, while those in Maharashtra are not aware of what is happening in Third Mumbai,” claimed the MNS chief.
Thackeray also alleged irregularities in land transactions and urged affected residents to oppose the land acquisition process.
Meanwhile, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has appointed Singapore-based Surbana Jurong Infrastructure to prepare the vision document, master plan and planning framework for Mumbai 3.0.
The consultancy will examine land use, transport, demographics, utilities, environmental conditions and public amenities. Its plans will cover mobility, infrastructure and economic development, including mass transit, multimodal connectivity, water supply, drainage, waste management and social infrastructure.
The final concept plan is expected to be prepared within 30 weeks.
Source: Mid-day
