MMRDA unveils roadmap to turn Alibaug, adjoining regions into urban extension of Mumbai

Mumbai (Image: Canva)

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has begun drafting a comprehensive Development Plan (DP) for Alibaug and parts of Pen, Panvel and Khalapur, as these largely rural areas prepare for a major transformation into an urban extension of Mumbai.

According to a TOI report, the move follows the 2019 inclusion of the remaining areas of these talukas into the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), in view of their development potential and proximity to Mumbai’s growth corridors. MMRDA has been appointed as the Special Planning Authority for this Extended Notified Area by the Urban Development Department.

As part of the initial push, a Rs 325-crore road improvement programme has been rolled out across 10 villages in Alibaug. Tenders worth Rs 251 crore, divided into three work packages, have already been floated, with a completion target of 24 months, including monsoon delays. The identified villages for road concretisation include Vave, Beloshi, Mahajne, Mahan, Phansapur, Gaychole, Katalpada, Awas Phata, Bhonang-Talavali and Chowl.

In response to TOI questionnaire, MMRDA clarified that this development initiative will promote structured growth in the region, including planned zones for residential, industrial, commercial and recreational use. The area is envisioned as a mix of secondary and tertiary industries, tourist hotspots and housing sectors. Alibaug is being seen as both an extended suburb of Mumbai and a standalone tourism magnet.

The DP is still in its early phase. Infrastructure surveys, demographic studies and projections are ongoing. A draft version of the plan will be published for public suggestions and objections. According to the authority, development in the sub-region will be guided by the Unified Development Control and Promotion Regulations.

When asked about preserving agricultural land, the authority assured TOI that areas currently under cultivation and suitable for farming will be protected under the new framework. Meanwhile, plans are also underway to expand essential services such as water supply, waste management, electricity and transport infrastructure across rural stretches of Alibaug.

A separate study to assess physical and social infrastructure is being conducted to ensure balanced growth and prevent haphazard urbanisation. Once the draft is ready, MMRDA will hold public consultations involving local stakeholders, panchayats and residents to fine-tune the plan based on feedback, TOI reported.

Though Alibaug’s Poynad Growth Centre has been recognised in the Final Regional Plan 2016–36 as a high-potential area, MMRDA clarified that it is not the designated Planning Authority for that particular zone.