Nashik Civic Body Cancels Makhmalabad Greenfield Township Project.

The Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) has officially decided to wind up the proposed 753-acre greenfield township project planned for Makhmalabad, on the outskirts of the city. The decision, approved by the NMC general body following significant opposition from local farmers and a Bombay High Court order, puts an end to the ambitious Smart City initiative.

The proposal for the abolishment of the project was tabled by the civic administration at the general body meeting on Wednesday and subsequently approved by NMC administrator Manisha Khatri.

The Nashik Municipal Smart City Development Corporation (NMSCDCL), under the Smart City project, had envisioned the new township at Makhmalabad as a response to Nashik's urban expansion. The plan involved acquiring over 753 acres from landowners to develop essential infrastructure such as roads, water supply, and drainage at an estimated cost exceeding ₹300 crore.

Under the draft plan, farmers who contributed land were to receive 55 percent of their original plot back as developed land with modern amenities, while the remaining 45 percent would be utilized for public infrastructure and amenities like wide roads, green belts, water and sewage lines, and parking spaces.

NMSCDCL had prepared the draft plan and submitted it to the state government for approval in December 2020. However, the project faced a significant hurdle in 2023 when a group of landowners and farmers filed a petition in the Bombay High Court challenging the proposed township. The High Court subsequently issued a restraining order, prohibiting NMSCDCL from carrying out any further activities related to the project in Makhmalabad.

The path to cancellation became clearer after a meeting convened by the urban development department in Mumbai on April 23, 2025. During this meeting, the NMC conveyed its stance favoring the cancellation of the project. Following this, the urban development department instructed civic officials to pass a resolution for cancellation at the general body meeting and forward it to the state government. Complying with these instructions, the NMC's general body has now formally approved the cancellation of the greenfield project.