Mumbai 3.0, explained: the new town planned across the harbour

If you've driven across the Atal Setu, you've seen how quickly the city ends and open land begins on the other side. That land is where the Maharashtra government wants to build Mumbai's next big centre. Officially it's the Karnala–Sai–Chirner New Town, or KSC New Town. Most people just call it Mumbai 3.0 or Third Mumbai.

What and where

In October 2024 the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) gave the project its official name, taken from three villages in the area: Karnala, Sai and Chirner. The planned town sits in Raigad district, spread over parts of the Uran, Panvel and Pen talukas.

Planned area

323.44 sq km

Villages

124

Talukas

3Uran, Panvel and Pen

Planning authority

MMRDA

The 124 villages come from areas that already had plans of their own. Most of them (80) were part of NAINA, the zone notified around the Navi Mumbai airport. Another 33 come from the Khopta New Town area, and the rest from the Mumbai and Raigad regional plans.

Why here?

Two pieces of infrastructure explain the location.

• The Atal Setu. The roughly 22 km sea bridge opened in 2024 and connects Sewri in Mumbai with Nhava Sheva on the mainland. Land that used to be a long drive away is now a short one.
• Navi Mumbai International Airport. A second airport for the region sits right next to the planned town, which makes it attractive for offices, logistics and housing.

The idea is to take pressure off island Mumbai by building a planned city with its own jobs, instead of more commuter suburbs.

Who's in charge, and why it matters to landowners

CIDCO used to be the planning authority for much of this land. In March 2024 the state took those powers away from CIDCO for the NAINA and Khopta villages and made MMRDA the New Town Development Authority for the whole area.

This matters if you own land there or plan to buy some. Development in these villages now needs MMRDA's permission, and some landowners have pushed back against the change. Before you buy, find out exactly what the current rules allow on that specific plot.

Where things stand

It's still mostly at the planning stage. MMRDA has reportedly set aside ₹4,000 crore for Mumbai 3.0 infrastructure in its 2026–27 budget. That's a real commitment, but a city this size takes decades, not a couple of years. Expect announcements, revised plans and some delays along the way.

What I'd check before buying nearby

1. MahaRERA registration. For any under-construction flat, look up the project on the MahaRERA website. Check the registration, the promised completion date and the approvals listed.
2. Which zone the land falls in. Find out whether the plot is inside the notified new-town area, and what it is zoned for under the current plan.
3. Title and land records. For land, have a lawyer check the 7/12 extract, the ownership history and any pending acquisition.
4. Distance from what's actually built. Measure from roads, stations and the airport that exist today, not from ones that are only planned.
5. Who's selling the story. "Near Mumbai 3.0" is about to appear on a lot of brochures. Ask for the exact village and survey number, and check them yourself.

I'll keep tracking this project here and in short videos. If you're evaluating a specific property or land parcel in the area, request a consultation and I'll share what I know.

Aniruddha Dukane is a MahaRERA-registered real estate advisor (A52100019655) with 11 years in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Pune, advising private investors, family offices and businesses on luxury residential, commercial and land investments. About Aniruddha