Revoke order on merger of Thane villages with Navi Mum, Naik tells CM | Mumbai news

NAVI MUMBAI: BJP forest minister Ganesh Naik has written to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis demanding that the government order to merge 14 villages on the Thane and Kalyan border with Navi Mumbai be revoked. The government resolution was issued in March last year during Eknath Shinde’s tenure as chief minister.

The villages in question are Dahisar, Pimpri, Valivali, Bhandarali, Goteghar, Mokashi, Uttarshiv, Nagaon, Navali, Niyu, Narivali, Bamali, Wakan and Baje.

The demand is being seen as yet another clash between the BJP and Shiv Sena, a conflict that has seen Fadnavis cancel or stay a number of Shinde’s decisions. Naik, on his part, has been taking on Shiv Sena chief Shinde in his stronghold, Thane—although Naik is the guardian minister of Palghar, he has been holding janata darbars in Thane, where Shinde is the guardian minister and general bossman.

The latest clash concerns merging the villages located in MP Shrikant Shinde’s constituency with Navi Mumbai. When he was CM, Shinde, who headed the urban development department, had appointed the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) as the planning authority for the villages, replacing the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).

The villages were originally a part of NMMC when it was established but had separated in 2007, following violence in the area. They later demanded a re-merger, following the meagre development in the region. Shrikant had supported their demand. The then NMMC commissioner, Abhijit Bangar, had in 2022 informed the government that ₹6,100 crore would be required to develop infrastructure in the villages and sought government funds for this.

In September, before the assembly elections, Naik wrote to Shinde and Fadnavis, opposing the merger on the grounds that Navi Mumbai would be burdened with the high cost of developing basic infrastructure in the region. He also raised the issue of encroachments on government land and lack of direct connectivity with the region located on the Shil Phata-Kalyan road. He also demanded a tunnel through Parsik Hill from the Adavali Bhutavli area.

Naik said, “I did not raise the issue during the Lok Sabha election, as the villages are in Shrikant Shinde’s constituency. It is a question of a huge burden on the tax-paying citizens of Navi Mumbai. We will take to the streets if required.”

With no government funds earmarked, Naik has now asked for a demerger. “I have written to CM Fadnavis, requesting this,” he confirmed. “I will soon be meeting him to explain the issue. In the absence of a government grant, NMMC cannot budget the huge amount required for developing these villages. Navi Mumbai residents should not be burdened with this.” Naik added that the 14 villages were not “geographically suitable to be included in Navi Mumbai”, as they did not share a border with it.

Reacting to Naik’s statement, Thane Shiv Sena MP and party spokesman Naresh Mhaske pointed out that the residents of the 14 villages had demanded the merger. “Naik too had demanded this,” he said. “Why he has changed his stand now will have to be studied. NMMC has already started providing services in the region. A separate allocation too will be made for it. If Naik has any misunderstanding, it will be cleared.”

Rajesh More, Shiv Sena Kalyan Rural MLA, said, “DCM Shinde, MP Shrikant and I have been working at the government level to provide all basic civic services to the villages. We are standing firmly with the villagers.”