Cabinet nod to ‘Third Mumbai’ plan triggers farmer agitation in Raigad

Farmer groups and village representatives fear the project could lead to large-scale displacement and disruption of agricultural and fishing livelihoods

Navi Mumbai: Opposition is intensifying in Raigad district after the Maharashtra cabinet on February 10 approved a 22.5% land pooling policy for the proposed Karnala–Sai–Chirner (KSC) New Town, popularly referred to as “Third Mumbai”.

Navi Mumbai, India - Feb. 16, 2026:Cabinet nod to Third Mumbai plan triggers farmer agitation in Raigad in Navi Mumbai, India, on Monday, February 16, 2026. (Photo by Bachchan Kumar/ HT PHOTO) (HT PHOTO)

The project spans nearly 323 sq.km and covers 124 villages in Uran, Panvel and Pen talukas. Farmer groups and village representatives fear the project could lead to large-scale displacement and disruption of agricultural and fishing livelihoods.

At a meeting on February 14, the MMRDA (Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority) KSC Navnagar Virodhi Samiti in Raigad, resolved to oppose the policy and launch a phased agitation. The group has urged gram panchayats to pass resolutions against the cabinet decision and send them to the state government.

The protest plan includes village meetings, awareness campaigns, rallies, public gatherings and a district-level convention. Leaders warned that if their demands are ignored, they will organise a march to Mantralaya in March, drawing parallels with earlier anti-SEZ agitations in Raigad.

Key concerns

Under the approved framework, landowners must surrender land in exchange for 22.5% of developed plots. Compensation options include transferable development rights (TDR), additional floor space index (FSI) or monetary payment. Officials have said land may be acquired either through voluntary participation in the pooling scheme or, if landowners do not consent, under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.

Farmer representatives have objected to provisions such as the pass-through cost recovery mechanism, which allows acquisition, infrastructure and administrative costs to be recovered from plot allottees. They also raised concerns over priority allotment for large industrial and infrastructure projects, including those involving foreign direct investment (FDI).

Villagers are particularly worried that land could be allotted in some cases on an “as-is-where-is” basis, leading to delays in infrastructure and uncertainty over timelines. Since landowners would become allottees of developed plots under the pooling model, they say these cost and allotment conditions directly affect them.

Patil said, “This is not just about land—entire villages, homes and traditional livelihoods are at stake. The policy appears designed to facilitate large investors while local residents are being asked to surrender ancestral land without clarity on rehabilitation or long-term guarantees.”

Rupesh Patil, general secretary of the committee, said villagers are not opposed to development but want transparency. “Decisions of this scale must be taken after consulting those whose land and homes are affected. Farmers should not be made to bear financial risks in a project whose benefits may take years to materialise,” he said.

Government’s position

The state government has defended the project, saying the KSC New Town is aimed at decongesting Mumbai, guiding planned urbanisation and creating economic hubs in the Atal Setu impact zone. The MMRDA has been designated as the new town development authority.

Officials said the planning process followed statutory procedures under the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act and included public consultations. An MMRDA official said, “The project is being planned with the objective of ensuring planned and sustainable urban development while taking into account the needs of existing villages, gaothans and surrounding communities.

However, with protests gathering pace across the Raigad belt, the KSC New Town project is entering a politically sensitive phase even before large-scale land acquisition begins.