Third Mumbai City Will Attract Outsiders, Says MNS Chief Raj Thackeray

Raigad: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Sunday accused the state government of keeping people in the dark about its development plans for the proposed "Third Mumbai" city, which he said would attract outsiders at the expense of local people whose land will be acquired. Third Mumbai or the Karnala-Sai-Chirner (KSC) New Town is a planned smart city spanning roughly 323-334 square kilometres across 124 villages in the coastal Raigad district. It aims to decongest the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and drive regional economic growth.

Hitting back at Thackeray, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said the government is seeking to make Third Mumbai a new centre of Maharashtra's economic development, which is expected to boost employment, industry and infrastructure in the future.

Addressing a press conference here, Thackeray said the common people are in the dark about the government's plans regarding the Third Mumbai city.

He said the planned region will house an education city, a medical city, a sports centre, a data centre, a global capability centre, and research centres among other facilities.

"Does Maharashtra know what the government intends to do (in the Third Mumbai) ? Are our youth ready for this?" Thackeray asked. He said land from Pen, Panvel and Uran talukas in Raigad is being taken from locals.

"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)," he claimed.

Suggesting murky land deals, the MNS chief alleged land-related transactions are the only business now in Maharashtra.

He said (livelihoods of) locals are being destroyed through land acquisition and appealed to people to oppose the exercise.

In response to Thackeray's criticism, Shinde said instead of accepting the allegation that "it does not know what to do," the government's stance is that "what needs to be done has already been decided, and planning for it is underway."

"We have built a new airport in Third Mumbai. An Aero City, a Medi City and a large-scale growth hub are being developed there. Very systematic and internationally benchmarked planning is taking place in Third Mumbai," Shinde said.

He said this development is expected to provide a major boost to aviation, healthcare, industry, the services sector and modern infrastructure, especially the economic ecosystem that will emerge around the new airport, accelerating the development of the entire region.

Shinde added that Third Mumbai is being planned in a systematic and internationally benchmarked manner.

"As the Mumbai Metropolitan Region expands, efforts are being made to develop the area while taking into account future urban needs, transportation, industry and the growth of the services sector. This is expected not only to reduce the growing pressure on Mumbai but also to shape a new centre of development.

"The expansion of the Aero City, Medi City, growth hub and the industries and services associated with them is expected to create a large number of jobs and provide new opportunities for local youth," the Deputy CM said.