Eknath Shinde’s 34 infra projects could turn Thane into MMR's next hub

Thane and nearby areas will benefit from 34 major infrastructure projects worth ₹3.97 lakh crore, boosting connectivity and real estate growth

Mumbai: From new metro lines and bullet trains to expressways, elevated roads and tunnels, Thane city and its neighbouring areas stand to benefit from at least 34 infrastructure projects worth a staggering ₹3,96,636.75 crore over the next decade.

From new metro lines and bullet trains to expressways, elevated roads and tunnels, Thane city and its neighbouring areas stand to benefit from at least 34 infrastructure projects. (HT Photo)

This is an unprecedented number of projects concentrated in a relatively small geography and they are likely to help Thane emerge as the next centrally-located suburb of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), said an official from the Maharashtra government. MMR is spread across 6,328 sq km, of which Thane district alone covers 4,214 sq km, while the Thane civic limit spans 147 sq km.

The 34 infrastructure projects (see box) reflect the influence that chief minister Eknath Shinde has wielded in Thane and its neighbouring regions over the last decade. The Shiv Sena chief was formerly the MLA of Thane constituency from 2004 to 2009 and has represented the Kopri-Pachpakhadi constituency since then. Kopri-Pachpakhadi is one of the 18 assembly constituencies in the Thane district.

“Over the years, not only Eknath Shinde but other elected representatives from the Thane belt have also raised requests and demands,” said a senior government official, requesting anonymity. “Holding certain crucial portfolios has been advantageous for the Shiv Sena in getting clearances fast-tracked.”

The 34 projects either start or pass through Thane, while some are expected to help decongest the district. Several projects have come Thane’s way after Shinde helmed certain important state government departments and ministries since 2014, when Devendra Fadnavis was chief minister in the Shiv Sena -Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) coalition government.

Back then, Shinde headed the Ministry of Public Works, which includes public undertakings such as the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC). Since November 2019, when the Maha Vikas Aghadi government led by the undivided Shiv Sena’s Uddhav Thackeray was formed, Shinde continued to be the public works minister and got the additional charge of the urban development ministry. He was also made the chairman of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), which is otherwise helmed by the chief minister. Shinde retained both ministries after he took charge as chief minister in June 2022 in the Mahayuti government.

With Shinde in charge of strategising Maharashtra’s infrastructure projects and allocating budgets to specific projects, cities, and regions of the state, Thane has bagged a chunk of the state’s infrastructure projects. This has proven beneficial to the real estate industry, which now has multiple talking points to pitch to potential home buyers in the micro-markets far away from Thane railway station.

So many infrastructure projects change how a city is perceived, said Ayushi Ashar, director of the Ashar Group, a developer based in Mumbai and Thane. She is also part of the managing committee of the real estate association and lobby group CREDAI-MCHI’s Thane Chapter.

“Infrastructure development positively impacts ancillary industries, brings in many business activities and leads to job creation, real estate growth and an increase in property prices,” said Ashar. “Due to improved connectivity, local GDP is also expected to grow to about 15-18% in the future.”

According to a real estate industry-related study (please name the study and agency that conducted it), Thane is among the cities that have attracted the highest investments in India in terms of infrastructure. The other cities are Pune, Nagpur, Hyderabad, Gurgaon and Noida.

Apart from Thane city, a chunk of the projects are planned for the neighbouring Kalyan, Dombivali, Ulhasnagar, Ambernath, Mumbra and Kalwa areas, which are in the jurisdiction of Shinde’s son and Kalyan MP Shrikant Shinde.