Mumbai, April 18 -- For the first time, the government will give landowners a choice of compensation for acquired land. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority will offer three compensation options to landowners in 124 Raigad villages affected by land acquisition for the Karnala-Sai-Chirner (KSC) New Town under Mumbai 3.0, with the selection process set to begin online from April 27. The 124 villages are located in Uran, Panvel and Pen talukas and fall within the proposed New Town Development Area (NTDA). Landowners from these villages can choose between mutual consent-based acquisition, development rights compensation, and a land pooling model by submitting documents such as Aadhaar and land records on the MMRDA website. The project area spans 323 sq km and includes the influence zone of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sewri-Nhava Sheva Atal Setu. According to officials, the framework aims to make landowners stakeholders in development rather than one-time compensation recipients. "This approach ensures that landowners are not merely compensated, but are partners in development, benefiting directly from the value creation of the new urban ecosystem," an MMRDA official said. Under the policy, compensation through mutual consent will be determined through agreement under relevant provisions of the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act, 1966. The second option offers compensation in the form of Floor Area Index (FSI) or Transferable Development Rights (TDR) instead of cash payouts. The land pooling model proposes a return of 22.5% developed land to owners, though it has faced resistance in Raigad over fears of displacement and impact on farming and fishing livelihoods. MMRDA metropolitan commissioner Dr Sanjay Mukherjee said the authority is focusing on participatory development and informed choice for landowners. "The success of this transformation will depend on the willingness and confidence of citizens to participate, and we are committed to ensuring that this participation is both voluntary and positive," he added. The NTDA plan follows a government resolution issued on March 16, 2026, outlining a shift from traditional land acquisition to a hybrid acquisition and land pooling policy....