State paves way for ‘Third Mumbai’ around MTHL

The state urban development (UD) department on Monday issued two notifications that will pave the way for the development of ‘Third Mumbai’ around the Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link (MTHL) or Atal Setu.

MUMBAI: The state urban development (UD) department on Monday issued two notifications that will pave the way for the development of ‘Third Mumbai’ around the Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link (MTHL) or Atal Setu. Prime minister Narendra Modi recently inaugurated the MTHL connecting Sewri and Chirle but the response by motorists has been lukewarm.

The first UD notification on March 4 is about the handing over of a large area around MTHL for the MMRDA-headed New Town Development Authority (NTDA) to develop. It is expected to have a majorly positive impact on the economic development and growth of the region and to make the MTHL project economically viable.

MMRDA had requested the state on August 28, 2023 to appoint it as the NTDA for the MTHL ‘Influence Area’ comprising 124 villages occupying approximately 323.44 square km. Of these, 80 villages are from the Navi Mumbai Airport Influence Notified Area, 33 villages from the Khopta New Town Notified Area, two villages from the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Plan and nine villages from the Raigad Regional Plan, the notification said.

The appointment of the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) as Special Planning Authority for the 80 villages of the Navi Mumbai Airport Influence Notified Area and 33 villages from the Khopta New Town Notified Area has been withdrawn by the government, the order issued on March 4, said. The second notification calls for objections and suggestions to the removal of CIDCO and the appointment of the MMRDA-headed NTDA as the planning authority for Third Mumbai.

A senior CIDCO officer said that the corporation had no issues with its removal since a lot of the Khopta and Pen areas were under the Coastal Zone Regulations of the Environment Protection Act, which limited the development potential of the land. “We have been trying to develop NAINA as a new city for a long time, but the government feels that if there is a unified attempt by the NTDA led by MMRDA, the progress will be faster,” he said.

CIDCO MD Vijay Singhal chose not to comment while MMRDA commissioner Sanjay Mukherjee did not respond to calls.