Maharashtra Directs Major Cities Above 10 Lakh Population To Prepare Ambitious Economic Master Plans For Growth Hubs

Mumbai: The state government has directed cities with a population exceeding 10 lakh to prepare an Economic Master Plan, focusing on promoting tourism, improving the ease of doing business, attracting investment, and developing business hubs.

Currently, five of the 10 cities with the specified population are in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR): Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan-Dombivli, and Vasai-Virar. The others are Pune, Nashik, Nagpur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, and Pimpri-Chinchwad.

According to a recent order issued by the Urban Development Department (UDD), provisions outlined in the Economic Master Plans will be incorporated into the Development Plans of these cities. The initiative is based on recommendations by NITI Aayog to develop cities as growth hubs (G-HUBs). The MMR has been selected as the pilot region for drafting a comprehensive economic growth plan and achieving targeted outcomes.

The UDD directives have been issued under Section 154 of the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act, 1966. Last year, the state government decided to set up a nine-member Project Management Unit (PMU) under Additional Chief Secretary (Housing) to implement NITI Aayog’s recommendations. The goal is to transform the MMR into a $300 billion economy by 2030, up from its current $140 billion.

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The PMU will oversee the execution of NITI Aayog’s proposals, support the Growth Hub Regulatory Board and the coordination committee, and advise the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) on key challenges. The key markers for NITI Aayog’s vision for the MMR are affordable housing, slum rehabilitation, tourism, logistics, urban planning, and sustainability.

Proposed projects include tourism hubs in Gorai, Madh, and Alibaug, a 300-km coastline master plan, and integrated manufacturing and logistics clusters in Kharbav and Panvel.

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