Farmers in 124 Raigad Villages Reject Land Acquisition for Third Mumbai Project
Farmers across 124 villages in Uran, Panvel, and Pen in Raigad district have voiced strong opposition to the proposed Third Mumbai megaproject, declaring that they will not surrender any land for the planned urban development.
The stance was conveyed by representatives of the MMRDA KSC Navnagar (Third Mumbai) Virodhi Samiti during a meeting with Urban Development Department Additional Chief Secretary Aseem Kumar Gupta and MMRDA Additional Metropolitan Commissioner P Velarasu. The meeting followed a symbolic hunger strike staged by farmers outside the Konkan divisional commissioner's office on August 15.
The KSC New Town, known as Third Mumbai, is planned across 323 square kilometres to serve as an economic hub linked to the Atal Setu, Navi Mumbai International Airport, and the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority. However, local residents rejected the state government's 22.5 per cent land-pooling model, arguing it fails to protect their interests.
Committee president Sudhakar Patil stated that the opposition stems from past land acquisition experiences involving CIDCO, JNPT, and the Navi Mumbai airport. Farmers raised concerns that the project would consume productive agricultural land and impact settlements located outside existing gaothan boundaries.
Protesters have demanded a formal hearing for 25,000 pending objections and gram sabha resolutions opposing the project before any land acquisition or surveys continue. Committee general secretary Rupesh Patil noted that proceeding without addressing these submissions violates natural justice. The committee has also sought a ban on land transactions across the 124 villages and requested that any acquisition be conducted strictly under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.
Particular concerns were highlighted for more than 50 villages in Pen that rely on the Hetwane irrigation project. Working president Santosh Thakur questioned the conversion of irrigated agricultural land for urbanisation and cautioned that protests could intensify.
Opposition gained momentum earlier in June after the state appointed Singapore-based Surbana Jurong Infrastructure as the project consultant, prompting hundreds of villagers to assemble at the Chirner Jungle Satyagraha Hutatma Smarak to pledge their resistance. Meanwhile, the MMRDA maintains that the project follows statutory procedures to balance urban growth with the interests of local communities.
