The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) begins the first stage of preparing a revised development plan for the Manori–Gorai notified area, and local residents fear it could reserve land for a proposed desalination plant at Manori. The BMC invites public suggestions and objections as part of the plan-making process and says the development plan revision is not directly linked to reserving land for any hydraulic project, according to reporting.
Separately, fishermen and villagers from Gorai and Manori stage protests against the desalination project, including demonstrations at the Mumbai Suburban Collector’s office. Organisers say police blocked some buses en route and that they are protesting what they describe as the lack of a public hearing and insufficient engagement with local fishing communities. Some outlets also frame the dispute around concerns over environmental impacts and financial priorities, including arguments that Mumbai should address water leakages before investing in desalination. Another outlet highlights residents’ wider concern that the approvals process does not adequately reflect ground realities.
Across coverage, the story centres on two linked tracks: administrative steps for the revised development plan and public opposition to the desalination plant, with differing emphasis on land-use planning fears versus livelihood and procedural concerns.
