AI data centre will make Thane unliveable, says Shiv Sena (UBT)

The upcoming AI data centre in Balkum Pada area will make Thane unliveable, said Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Tuesday (September 8, 2026), while visiting residents opposing the Thane Ring Metro and SGNP Master plan.

“The residents will have to tolerate noise of 95 dB+, heat emissions from the cooling plant as the centre will consume high electricity, water, and have 93 diesel generators back up and 5 lakh tonnes of diesel,” he said.

Mr. Thackeray also demanded that the centre be shifted to an industry area with ‘red industry’ status.

For the past few months, Thane residents have been protesting against Amazon’s proposed project of ₹7,203.29 crore across 53.73 acre.

The citizen group ‘Wake-up Thanekar’ raised concerns over the vagueness of details of the project, discrepancies in the numbers, the lack of consultation with public, and no information on the sources of the factors behind the operations of data centres. 

Anuradha, a resident of Balkum Pada, said that they have appealed to several Ministers and bureaucrats to shift the site but are yet to receive response. “The biggest problem was to understand the difference between traditional data centre and AI data centre. It has took us time to explain residents that the difference is of the resources that the AI data centre would require. At once, the centre will require electricity as much as 6 lakh household uses the electricity and diesel storage of 5-6 lakh, which deadly for residential area,” she said.

In October 2022, Amazon Data Services India bought 54 acres from Kalpataru’s subsidiary Ananta Landmarks for approximately ₹1,870 crore, paying ₹130 crore in stamp duty.

It also applied for Environmental Clearances under the category for “Townships, Area Development Projects and Rehabilitation Centres” of the EIA Notification 2006 in June 2024.