Navi Mumbai has taken a significant step towards climate-responsive urban planning with the establishment of its first dedicated Urban Agriculture Centre in Kharghar, signalling how underutilised utility land can be integrated into the city’s sustainability framework. Developed on land beneath high-tension transmission corridors, the initiative reflects a broader shift in how planned cities can balance infrastructure needs with food security, green cover and livelihood creation.
The centre has emerged from a long-standing land-use policy adopted by the city’s planning authority, which permits limited ecological and public-use activities beneath high-voltage power lines. Such parcels, typically restricted from permanent construction, are increasingly being viewed as opportunities for low-impact green infrastructure. Urban planners say this approach aligns with global best practices where cities reclaim constrained spaces to strengthen resilience without compromising safety or utility operations. Located in Kharghar, one of Navi Mumbai’s fastest-growing nodes, the agriculture centre functions as both a plant nursery and a knowledge hub focused on urban farming, natural cultivation methods and agri-entrepreneurship. Officials associated with the project indicate that the facility has steadily gained public attention over recent years due to its work in preserving indigenous plant varieties and promoting small-scale cultivation suitable for dense urban environments.
A formal collaboration between the implementing non-profit organisation and a state agricultural university has now provided institutional backing to expand these activities across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Under this arrangement, the centre will support training programmes, on-site demonstrations, exposure visits and skill development initiatives tailored to urban residents, peri-urban farmers and emerging agri-startups. The emphasis remains on techniques that require limited land and water while improving soil health and biodiversity. Urban development experts note that Navi Mumbai urban agriculture initiatives could play a strategic role as climate pressures intensify. With supply chains increasingly vulnerable to weather disruptions, localised food systems are being seen as a buffer against volatility. At the same time, such projects contribute to cooling urban microclimates, enhancing green cover and offering educational value in neighbourhoods dominated by residential and commercial real estate.
The centre is also positioned as an economic enabler. By focusing on capacity building and entrepreneurship, it aims to create supplementary income streams for residents and small growers, particularly in peri-urban pockets where traditional agriculture is under pressure from land conversion and rising property values. However, the reuse of land beneath power transmission lines has not been without debate. Sections of the local community have raised concerns over land-use priorities and long-term governance. Planning officials maintain that the model adheres to safety norms while delivering public value, stressing that transparent oversight will be critical as similar projects are considered elsewhere.
As Navi Mumbai continues to evolve as a planned satellite city, the success of this initiative could influence how other Indian cities integrate Navi Mumbai urban agriculture into mainstream development policy. The next phase will depend on measurable outcomes, community participation and the ability to scale without diluting environmental safeguards.
Navi Mumbai Advances Urban Farming Infrastructure
