A proposed Thane data centre in Balkum has come under opposition from local residents, with Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray writing to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis over concerns about its location, water use, energy consumption, noise, heat emissions and safety.
Thackeray said several questions about the project remained unanswered and that residents had taken a firm position against allowing an artificial intelligence data centre in the middle of a residential area. His comments were made in a post on X, according to a PTI report published by Deccan Chronicle.
The dispute places the proposed facility at the intersection of urban land-use planning and the growing infrastructure requirements of data-intensive businesses. The immediate question raised by residents is not only whether the project can be built, but whether its proposed location is compatible with the surrounding neighbourhood and the services available in the area.
Thackeray asked why the project could not be shifted to an MIDC zone designated for “Red Category” industries. He also questioned the policy under which the builder was permitted to bring the data centre to the location and whether the government had considered residents’ objections before allowing the proposal to proceed.
The concerns listed in the report relate to the physical operation of a large technology facility. Residents have raised questions about electricity demand, noise pollution, heat emissions and safety. Thackeray additionally alleged that the project could worsen Thane’s water problems, although the report does not provide technical details on the facility’s expected water consumption, cooling system, power requirement or construction status.
The project’s reported location in Balkum is significant because the opposition is centred on its relationship with an established residential area. A data centre is not simply an office or commercial building: its operation depends on continuous power, cooling and supporting infrastructure. The available report, however, does not establish the proposed centre’s capacity, built-up area, construction timeline, environmental approvals or the identity of the developer.
Thackeray’s letter has also brought the approval process into focus. His questions concern the policy basis for permitting the proposed use, the role of the builder and the extent to which local residents’ concerns have been considered. The report does not include a response from the Maharashtra government, Thane civic authorities, the developer or the MIDC on these issues.
The political context adds visibility to the dispute. Thane is the political stronghold of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and has been associated with a continuing rivalry between Shinde and the Thackerays since the latter’s political split in 2022. The report identifies this context but does not indicate whether the disagreement has affected the project’s approvals or implementation.
For the city, the immediate unresolved issue is whether the proposal will remain at the Balkum site or be reviewed in response to residents’ objections. The questions raised publicly concern land-use compatibility, municipal capacity and the safeguards required before a high-consumption technology facility is located within a residential setting.
The next steps depend on the response from the chief minister’s office, the local administration and the project’s developer. No decision to relocate, halt or approve the proposed data centre was reported in the material available.
