CM Fadnavis defends govt policies; says ‘no one can take Mumbai away from Maharashtra’

The chief minister stated that as the civic elections approach, there will be deliberate attempts to spread misinformation and emotional narratives, including claims about efforts to separate Mumbai from Maharashtra.

“I want to make it very clear—no one, no matter who they are, can take Mumbai away from Maharashtra,” he said, describing such assertions as baseless and politically motivated.

The remarks came amid a politically charged atmosphere in the House, where the Opposition, led by the Maha Vikas Aghadi, accused the government of favouritism and neglect in key policy areas, including urban development and land allocation.

Dismissing claims that land in Dharavi had been handed over to the Adani Group under the pretext of slum redevelopment, Fadnavis said the project had followed a transparent bidding process and was being executed by a special purpose vehicle (SPV) — Navbharat Mega Developers Private Limited (NMDPL)— in which the state government itself is a stakeholder.

“The Adani Group is the selected developer, not the owner of the land,” he said.

He added that the massive redevelopment effort would cover 108 hectares and be completed within seven years.

All eligible slum-dwellers, Fadnavis said, would be rehabilitated within Dharavi, and those who could not be accommodated would be provided homes elsewhere in the city.

A five-year tax holiday will be granted to pottery and leather artisans in the area to support traditional livelihoods. Additionally, under a new rental housing scheme, tenants who live in designated units for 12 years will receive ownership rights. “In all, 10 lakh people will be given homes under this transformative project,” he said.

On Mumbai’s suburban railway system, Fadnavis announced that all local train coaches will be replaced by metro-style air-conditioned rakes with automatic doors.

He said Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had responded positively to the proposal and would soon make an official announcement.

“These will be new coaches, not retrofitted ones, and there will be no fare hike,” the Chief Minister said.

“We cannot have two classes of public transport—metros that are modern and safe, and suburban trains where people travel in overcrowded and unsafe conditions. The gap must be closed,” he added.

Fadnavis also provided updates on key infrastructure projects in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

He said that Metro Line 3, which connects Colaba to SEEPZ via Bandra, is likely to become operational by October this year. The Navi Mumbai International Airport, he added, would be completed by the end of September. He also highlighted progress on the Vadhavan Port project, calling it one of the most ambitious maritime infrastructure developments in the country. “Once completed, it will be among the top 10 ports in the world and significantly enhance Maharashtra’s economic capacity,” he said.

The government is also pushing ahead with the development of the Navi Mumbai Airport Influence Notified Area (NAINA), and an ‘Education City’ in Navi Mumbai, where 10 international universities are expected to set up campuses.

“Five of them have already signed agreements. Students will be able to access quality international education here at just 25 per cent of the cost of studying abroad,” the Chief Minister said.

On the law and order front, Fadnavis said that overall crime in the state had declined by 6.75 cent, with Nagpur recording an 11 per cent drop.
Detection rates for cybercrime had risen to 16 per cent, and 91 per cent of cases related to atrocities against women, along with 98 per cent of rape cases, had been solved, he said.

He also informed the House that over 2,000 people had been arrested in drug-related cases and that the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) had been invoked against multiple offenders.

Thirteen police officers had been dismissed for misconduct over the past year, Fadnavis said, adding that new laws now mandate completion of criminal investigations within 90 days and place greater emphasis on forensic evidence.

Responding to Congress MLA Nana Patole’s allegations of a “honey trap” involving current and former government officials and ministers, the Chief Minister categorically denied the charges, saying no evidence had been presented.