MUMBAI: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray demanded a stay on the Thane AI data centre project until an expert committee headed by Dr Anil Kakodkar submitted its report, citing residents’ concerns over its location and environmental impact.

Aaditya demands stay on Thane data centre till Dr Kakodkar committee submits report

In a letter to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday, Thackeray questioned the decision to green light such a project in a residential area, arguing that citizens’ concerns must be addressed before the project proceeds. Following a recent citizens’ protest, in which Thackeray participated, the committee was constituted to examine the matter.

“The impact of the data centre on the environment will become clear when the report is submitted by the Dr Kakodkar committee. So, I request you to give stay to the data centre project till then,” he said in the letter to CM, posted on X.

Thackeray highlighted several unanswered questions concerning the facility’s energy consumption, noise pollution, heat emissions and security implications. He underlined that residents were questioning the choice of location and did not want an AI data centre in the midst of a residential neighbourhood.

He also sought clarity on the policy that permitted the builder to establish the facility at the site, asking why it could not be relocated to a red-category industrial area in a Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) zone.