Navi Mumbai: The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has not issued a single building permission for projects in 14 villages facing proposed inclusion into its jurisdiction. The move follows strong opposition from residents of these villages, alongside Navi Mumbai citizens, who have formally protested the merger.
According to official communication, all proposals seeking building permissions in these areas remain on hold pending a final decision from Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. “No building permission has been granted so far for these villages,” an official confirmed.
Villagers argue that inclusion in NMMC would lead to higher taxes, increased bureaucratic hurdles, and the erosion of local governance. The final decision now rests with the Chief Minister’s office, while residents continue to demand exclusion from municipal boundaries.
Somnath Kekan, Assistant Director of Town Planning at NMMC, informed Ramesh Sutar, an official of the Navi Mumbai Congress’s OBC wing, about the current status.
Earlier, the proposal to reintegrate 14 villages along the Shil-Taloja route faced stiff opposition from Airoli MLA and Forest Minister Ganesh Naik. Citing an estimated financial burden of ₹6,000 crore on NMMC, Naik had written to Chief Minister Fadnavis, urging reversal of the decision.
A report by former NMMC Commissioner Abhijit Bangar estimated the cost of developing infrastructure in these villages at ₹6,000 crore. Naik has argued that existing Navi Mumbai residents should not bear this financial responsibility.
The 14 villages proposed for inclusion are Dahisar, Mokashi, Walivali, Pimpri, Nighu, Navali, Vaklan, Yamali, Narivali, Vele, Nagaon, Bhandali, Uttarshiv, and Goteghar.
These villages were originally under NMMC but were excluded in 2007 following protests by local residents. However, their exclusion has since led to deteriorating road conditions, water supply challenges, and inadequate street lighting. Villagers have now been demanding reintegration to secure essential civic services.
Adding to the complexity are geographical challenges, as the villages are separated from Navi Mumbai by the Parsik Hill range. Officials have noted that constructing a tunnel may be necessary in the future to improve connectivity.