The ongoing controversy surrounding the 'Third Mumbai' project in Maharashtra's Raigad district has intensified as local activists and leaders voice their opposition to the development.
This project, which aims to create a new urban center to alleviate congestion in the existing Mumbai metropolitan area, has faced significant backlash from various stakeholders, including farmers and environmentalists. The recent declaration by B.G.
B.G. Kolse Patil, a former judge and social reformer, made a strong statement against the proposed 'Third Mumbai' project during a farmers' meeting held on June 7, 2026, in Maharashtra's Raigad district. He declared that the project would only be built over their dead bodies, urging attendees to take an oath in opposition to it.
The meeting was organized by the MMRDA KSC Navnagar (Third Mumbai) Virodhi Samiti, reflecting a growing resistance among local farmers against the development plans.
Kolse Patil criticized the current political leaders, labeling them as shameless for their handling of the situation, and emphasized that the struggle against the project is at a more intense level than in the past. He pointed out that while judges, lawyers, and police previously played their roles, the political leadership has failed to act responsibly.
This gathering underscores the rising tensions surrounding urban development projects in Maharashtra, as local communities express their concerns over potential displacement and environmental impacts.
The opposition to 'Third Mumbai' is part of a broader discourse on land use and the rights of farmers in the region, as they seek to protect their livelihoods against large-scale infrastructure projects.
Left- and right-leaning outlets are covering this story differently — in which facts to emphasize, which context to include, and how to frame causes and consequences.