The Maharashtra government has begun development work in the Navi Mumbai Airport Influence Notified Area (NAINA), presenting the project as the first step towards a planned “Third Mumbai” that officials say could generate around 15 lakh jobs and reduce pressure on Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis launched the works at Shirdhon in Panvel taluka in the presence of Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar.
Fadnavis described the NAINA region as a potential new growth engine for Maharashtra. According to the government’s stated target, about five lakh of the proposed 15 lakh jobs would be high-paying positions. The project is being positioned as a long-term urban expansion plan for the area around Navi Mumbai International Airport and parts of Raigad district.
The City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) has been given responsibility for the project as the special planning authority. It is overseeing development across approximately 225 square kilometres covering 94 villages. The planned urban districts include an education city, medical city, sports city, aerocity and knowledge city, according to the report.
The government has described NAINA as the third stage of the Mumbai region’s urban expansion after Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. The wider area referred to as “Third Mumbai” or “Mumbai 3.0” includes parts of Panvel, Karjat, Khalapur, Uran and Pen in Raigad district. Officials say the planning exercise is intended to account for the region’s requirements over the next 25 to 50 years.
The launch also included the inauguration of four bridges—SBR-9, BR-4, BR-5 and the Uran bypass bridge—intended to improve east-side access to Navi Mumbai International Airport. The government said the road links would make airport access faster and easier from Pune, Panvel, Thane and Kalyan through National Highway 4B. The project’s stated connectivity strategy also includes stronger road and metro links between Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and the proposed Third Mumbai region.
Land acquisition and land pooling remain central to the project’s implementation. Under the land-pooling arrangement described in the report, landowners would provide 60% of their land to the government and receive 40% back as developed plots. The government has said it is focusing on addressing concerns among farmers and landholders affected by the planning process. People whose land and homes fall within the development plan are also expected to receive priority for the proposed employment opportunities.
The state has commissioned a Singapore-based company to prepare the master plan and vision document for the wider Third Mumbai area, according to the report. The next stage will therefore involve translating the broad development vision into a detailed planning framework for land use, transport, social infrastructure and implementation across the NAINA region.
