With Kalyan set to be growth centre, 27 nearby villages to witness progress

With the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority's (MMRDA's) plan to make the area a growth centre, a total of 27 villages around Kalyan and Ambernath are all set to witness "development". The authority has initiated the process to appoint a consultant who will prepare a detailed project report (DPR).

Although there is no definite deadline for the growth centre, it seems it will take a few years for the first signs of growth to get established in the Kalyan-Ambernath belt. According to an MMRDA official, a private consultant will be appointed to prepare the DPR in the next couple of months.

The 27 villages under the ambit of the plan are Ghesar, Katai, Hedutane, Nandivali, Turfe, Davadi, Pisavali, Sonarpada Mangaon, Kole, Gharivali, Sandap, Usarghar, Bhopar (Deslapada), Nandivali, Asade, Sagaon, Nilaje, Ambarnath Chinchapada, Dwarli, Adivali–Dhokali, Panchanand, Umbroli, Bhal, Golivali, Vasar, Ashele and Manere. The authorities are planning seven growth centres – Virar, Bhiwandi, Kalyan, Dombivli, Panvel, Taloja and Uran.

Because of the plan, the areas within and surrounding Kalyan-Ambernath are already witnessing a drastic increase in the real estate prices. Contrary to the trend in Mumbai, where the property prices are either stable or have marginally dipped, there has been a gradual and steady increase in Kalyan-Ambernath.

As per the plan, the growth centre would come up on over 1,000 hectares of area. Out of that, the MMRDA would acquire 330 hectares of the land. At the moment, majority of this is privately owned. The present idea is to make the landowners a stakeholder in the project so that there isn't any opposition, as witnessed for the Navi Mumbai International Airport.