The Turbhe waste management project in Navi Mumbai has been ordered to undergo a relocation review after Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde directed Navi Mumbai Municipal Commissioner Dr Kailash Shinde to examine whether the facility can be shifted elsewhere and submit a detailed report. The Urban Development Department has also sought information on alleged irregularities in the project that has already faced opposition from local residents and political representatives.
The direction followed a complaint by Thane MP Naresh Mhaske, according to a report by Loksatta – Navi Mumbai. The report said Mhaske had raised objections to the project’s site selection, environmental clearances, tender process and the approvals obtained for its proposed implementation.
The Turbhe site has become a political and administrative flashpoint within the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation. The project has been backed by the ruling BJP and the municipal administration, while representatives of the Shinde-led Shiv Sena have questioned whether a waste processing facility should be located close to a densely populated area.
Local corporator Suresh Kulkarni has said he is not opposed to waste processing in principle but has argued that the facility should be built away from large residential settlements. He has also asked the authorities to conduct a comparative study of an alternative CIDCO site located about two kilometres from the Turbhe landfill area. His concern, as reported by Loksatta, is that responsibility for any future impact on residents’ health would remain unclear if the project is built near a large population.
Mhaske’s objections include claims that the required distance from residential areas and a buffer zone have not been maintained. His letter reportedly referred to possible risks associated with odour, leachate, gases and particulate matter generated during waste processing. These concerns have not been established as findings in the material supplied for this report; they form part of the objections cited in the complaint that prompted the Urban Development Department’s review.
The MP has also sought clarity on whether the project has received the necessary environmental permissions and consent from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board. Other questions concern the detailed project report, government-level approvals and permissions required for the public-private partnership process. The eligibility of the contractor named in the tender and the justification for fees payable to the consultant have also been raised for examination.
The dispute had already surfaced in the municipal general body, where Shinde Sena leaders alleged that the administration was pushing ahead with the project despite local opposition. BJP leaders strongly opposed those allegations, and personal accusations were reportedly made against House Leader Sagar Naik. The latest direction now requires the municipal corporation to assess alternative locations and address the allegations and approval-related questions through a detailed report. The project’s next step will depend on the findings submitted to the Urban Development Department.
