Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut wrote to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday, 21 October, demanding an immediate freeze on an ongoing data centre project in Thane, citing severe risks to local infrastructure, large-scale resource depletion, and unaddressed environmental impacts. Raut urged the state government to halt all work until a comprehensive, statewide policy framework for data centres is formally put in place.

Key Demands in the Letter

Raut called on CM Fadnavis to convene a joint consultation meeting bringing together officials from the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC), the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), power distribution companies, water supply authorities, project developers, and local citizen representatives. He also demanded that all regulatory approvals — including construction permissions, water supply allocations, power load sanctions, tree-felling permits, and environmental clearances — be made publicly accessible, and that the legal validity of both active and lapsed permissions be clarified.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader further urged an independent expert evaluation of the facility's daily and peak water consumption, recycling capabilities, water sources, and cooling technologies. He specifically demanded scrutiny of the developer's claimed 'water-free cooling' technology, calling for clarity on the scope and credibility of those assertions.

Power and Pollution Concerns

Raut pressed the state to publish details of the project's peak electricity demand, dedicated power supply arrangements, and potential load impact on the local grid. He asked that the government clarify who would bear the capital cost of building the required power infrastructure. On pollution, he demanded an assessment of noise and air pollution impacts on neighbouring residential areas, with strict compliance enforced for backup diesel generators, cooling systems, and construction activity.

Call for Public Hearing and Accountability

The Shiv Sena (UBT) MP made a strong case for an open public hearing to directly address residents' concerns. He demanded that official minutes of meetings, commitments made by developers, and strict implementation timelines be published without delay. 'Official minutes of the meetings, commitments made by developers, and strict implementation timelines must be published. Enforce immediate regulatory restrictions and halts if violations of permission terms are detected, permitting work to resume only after complete corrective measures are taken,' Raut stated in the letter.

Broader Context: MMR Data Centre Boom

Raut's intervention comes amid growing momentum around data centre development across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), where several large-scale facilities have been announced or are under construction. Local civic activists and residents have reportedly raised concerns about power instability, water diversion, and localised heat island effects in suburban neighbourhoods. This is not an isolated objection — critics argue that the pace of approvals has outrun the policy and regulatory scaffolding needed to protect existing communities.

Notably, the Chief Minister's Office had not issued an official response to Raut's demands as of Wednesday evening. With Maharashtra yet to adopt a dedicated data centre policy, the Thane project has become a flashpoint in the wider debate over where and how energy-intensive digital infrastructure should be sited in densely populated urban areas.