Deputy Chief Minister and Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde has backed the proposed redevelopment of the Simplex Housing Condominium in Ghansoli, bringing the Navi Mumbai cluster redevelopment plan back into a political dispute over increased floor space index (FSI) and pressure on civic infrastructure.
Shinde expressed support for the cluster redevelopment during the Navi Mumbai Dahikala Festival 2026, organised by the Saurabh Shinde Foundation in Sector 7, Ghansoli, according to a report by Loksatta. He said residents living in small homes should receive larger and more spacious houses through redevelopment.
Referring to the housing needs of residents living in one-room kitchen and one-bedroom homes, Shinde said that the government should work to fulfil their aspirations for larger houses. He also cited the cluster redevelopment model in Thane, saying that poor and needy residents had received ownership rights and improved housing through the process.
The remarks have revived differences within the ruling Mahayuti alliance over the proposed redevelopment. Forest Minister Ganesh Naik has raised concerns about the additional FSI proposed under the cluster scheme. He has questioned whether increased construction could place extra pressure on Navi Mumbai’s water supply, traffic network, parking capacity, sewage system and other infrastructure.
The Bharatiya Janata Party-led civic administration has sought a scientific assessment of the impact of the increased FSI. The cluster scheme has consequently been kept on hold until the assessment is completed, according to the report.
The municipal process for the Simplex cluster had already advanced before Shinde’s remarks. A high-powered committee meeting held on June 17 recommended notifying an urban renewal plan for the Simplex Housing Condominium. Subsequently, Navi Mumbai Municipal Commissioner Dr Kailas Shinde issued a notification on July 14, 2026, for the urban renewal plan covering Cluster 4.
The notified plan includes approximately 67,146 square metres in Sector 7, including the Simplex Housing Condominium. The municipal authorities invited suggestions and objections from residents and other stakeholders within 30 days of the notification.
The immediate disagreement is over the balance between providing larger replacement homes and ensuring that supporting infrastructure can accommodate additional development. Shinde has presented redevelopment as a way to improve housing conditions, while Naik’s objections focus on the capacity of existing civic systems to support the proposed increase in built-up area.
The next formal steps depend on the assessment of the infrastructure impact and the municipal process for considering suggestions and objections. The cluster redevelopment plan will remain subject to those administrative proceedings and the decision on the proposed increased FSI.
