To,
Shri Devendra Fadnavis,
Chief Minister of Maharashtra,
 
We, the undersigned concerned citizens of Mumbai, wish to record our strong objection to the ongoing and indiscriminate monetisation of public land in the city — including railway lands, mill lands, port lands, and other government-owned tracts — for commercial and speculative development.
 
These lands were originally reserved to serve the people of Mumbai — for housing, open spaces, amenities, transport, and public infrastructure. Instead, they are being steadily diverted to private interests in the name of “revenue generation,” with no coherent policy, no transparency, and no accountability to the citizens who are the real stakeholders.
 
The outcome is visible: the loss of affordable housing, displacement of long-settled communities, shrinking open spaces, and irreversible transfer of public assets to private hands. The so-called “monetisation” of public land is, in effect, the privatisation of the city’s future.
 
We categorically reject the notion that public land should be treated as a financial resource to fill fiscal gaps or fund short-term projects. Land held by public bodies is not their property to sell or lease for profit — it is a public trust, held on behalf of citizens and future generations. Once alienated, it can never be recovered.
 
The government should adhere to the following core principles for public land management:

·       Public Land as a Public Trust: The State and its agencies are custodians, not owners.
·       Public Land Off the Market: Remove all public land from speculative or commercial transactions.
·       Public Purpose and Social Equity: Prioritise housing, open spaces, education, healthcare, and transport over commercial gains.
·       Transparency and Public Participation: Mandate full disclosure, consultations, and independent review before any decision.
·       Expanding Public Land Stock: Preserve and increase land held for public use — not diminish it.
 
To restore integrity and accountability, we demand that the Government of Maharashtra:
 
·       Issue a White Paper detailing all public land transactions, leases, and monetisation proposals in Mumbai;
·       Formulate a Unified Public Land Policy covering all state and central agencies operating in Mumbai, with clear disclosure norms and public consultation procedures;
·       Suspend all ongoing or proposed monetisation initiatives until such a policy is debated and adopted; and
·       Legislate protections ensuring that all public land remains reserved for genuine public purposes, based on measurable per-capita requirements for housing, open spaces, and amenities.
 
Mumbai’s land belongs to its people — not to agencies seeking to raise funds or private developers seeking profit. Decisions of such magnitude must not be taken behind closed doors or justified by bureaucratic jargon.
 
We urge the Maharashtra Government to halt further monetisation of public land, place all proposals in the public domain, and initiate a city-wide consultation with citizen groups, independent experts, and local representatives.
 
This is not merely a policy matter — it is about the right of every Mumbaikar to live in a just, equitable, and liveable city.
 
To read the full background and policy appeal, see the White Paper prepared by concerned citizens and Moneylife Foundation here: https://www.mlfoundation.in/memorandum/citizens-concerns-against-privatisation-of-public-land/533.html