Thane: Around 200 farmers staged a protest on Sunday at the Mogharpada metro rail car shed site in Thane demanding immediate disbursal of compensation and allotment of alternative land for plots acquired for the Metro-4 (Wadala–Kasarvadavali) car shed project.
The protesters warned that they would block traffic on Thane Ghodbunder Road and prevent authorities from taking possession of the land if their demands are not addressed promptly.
The land has been acquired by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), but farmers owning land under Survey No. 30 continue to cultivate paddy there.
They gathered under the banner of Shri Sati Aai Gramasth Mandal and held a sit-in protest on the bunds of their fields and lit traditional earthen ovens and drove tractors across the fields, stating they would not hand over their agricultural land without proper compensation. They emphasised that farming is their primary source of livelihood.
The protesters also demanded priority employment for local youth in metro-related jobs, construction of a school and college on five acres of land, and skill training for farmers’ children with preference for locals.
Farmers said several meetings were held with state leaders and officials, including the then Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the District Collector, and other MMRDA officials, who verbally assured speedy compensation and alternative land allotment. However, they claimed no written assurance or legal documentation has been provided so far.
“We are not against development, but it should not come at the cost of exploiting rightful landowners,” said Ramkrishna Patil, vice-president of Shri Sati Aai Gramasth Mandal. “The survey and acquisition process was carried out aerially using drones, but no formal, on-ground land acquisition has been completed on paper.”
The farmers said they would intensify their agitation if their demands are not met.