The committee will comprise officials from the Department of Industry and Urban Development and the Member of the Legislative Assembly for East Bhiwandi, Rais Shaikh. This was announced by the Minister of Industry, Uday Samant, during the state assembly session on 1/7.

During the discussion, Shaikh urged the government to focus on developing Bhiwandi as a strategic logistics center.

"A senior IAS (Indian Administrative Service) officer should be appointed to oversee the special planning area around Bhiwandi. This area encompasses 60 villages and Bhiwandi city, totaling approximately 144 square kilometers—equivalent to 30% of Mumbai's area," Shaikh stated.

Currently, all local management authority resides with the planning authorities. Government land worth approximately 3,000 crore rupees (over 8 trillion VND) is currently encroached upon, requiring prompt resolution. If developed correctly, Bhiwandi will play a crucial role in achieving the state's goal of a 1,000 billion USD economy.

Minister Samant expressed the government's support for the vision of Bhiwandi becoming Asia's largest logistics hub. He also acknowledged some technical obstacles, including the deployment of senior personnel and adjusting management authority from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).

"We agree with Mr. Shaikh's proposal and will establish a 4- to 5-member committee, including representatives from relevant departments. After finalizing the specific policy, the plan will be implemented," Samant emphasized.

The Dan (India Seatrade News)