India: Maharashtra greenlights new city called ‘Third Mumbai’, says report

The government of the western Indian state of Maharashtra has given a go-ahead for a broad proposal to create a new city, 'Third Mumbai'. Mumbai, state capital of Maharashtra, has been a major financial centre in the peninsula for over a century. The 'Navi Mumbai' (New Mumbai) was created to relieve load on infrastructure on Mumbai. Now the government plans to set up 'Third Mumbai'. To continue this process and more in order to make Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) capable of handling competition from other Indian cities.

The state government officials, including Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, have been broadly explaining the concept for a year. Third Mumbai is expected to focus on housing, both luxury and affordable, as well as better infrastructure and on the aim of creating an Information Technology hub near Mumbai.

There are plans that Third Mumbai will take shape around Navi Mumbai International Airport which, after completion, will be connected to Mumbai via Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sewri-Nhava Sheva Atal Setu. The bridge is also known as Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL).

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Multiple media reports have said that state government officials have given go-ahead for Third Mumbai last week.

“We are calling it the Third Mumbai which will have all the necessary infrastructure that a well-developed city should have. From residential (luxury and affordable), commercial complexes, data centres, hubs for MNCs and banks, and financial companies to large knowledge parks; it will have everything. A robust public transportation shall also be developed there,” said a government official, as quoted by Hindustan Times.

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This city has been proposed to further boost economic activity and contribute to the country’s GDP. “There is a plan to develop a second BKC in Kharghar. Around 150 hectares of land is expected to be available for developing it into a purely commercial area that would attract both Indian companies and MNCs,” the official added further.

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Third Mumbai is likely to function as a city that will focus on development of areas which are currently on the fringes of Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

(With inputs from agencies)