Aaditya Thackeray writes to Fadnavis over AI data centre planned in Thane residential area

Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA from Worli Aaditya Thackeray has written to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis about an artificial intelligence (AI) data centre proposed in a residential area of Thane. Thackeray has asked why the centre is being set up there at all.

In a post on social media, Thackeray said the project had been imposed on the people of Thane. He alleged that despite protests against the centre, many of the questions raised by citizens remain unanswered.

Thackeray said the state government formed a committee after a protest in which he himself took part. But he questioned the committee's makeup. He said that, apart from its head, almost all its members are ex-officio members from the administration.

Thackeray wrote, "The government has formed a committee after the citizens' protest I took part in, but apart from the head, almost all of its members are ex-officio members of the administration."

The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader pointed to concerns over the proposed data centre's power consumption, noise pollution, heat emissions and safety. He said local residents are questioning the location and do not want an AI data centre in the middle of a residential neighbourhood.

In his letter to the Chief Minister, Thackeray asked why the facility cannot be shifted to an industrial area designated under the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC). He wrote, "Many questions remain on power consumption, noise pollution, heat emissions and safety. Citizens are questioning the location and do not want an AI data centre in the middle of a residential area at all."

Thackeray also sought a clear answer on the policy under which the developer was permitted to bring the data centre to the proposed site. He asked which permissions and planning decisions allowed the project to come up in a residential area.

On the government's stance on the objections, Thackeray asked whether the administration would look into citizens' concerns or put builders' interests first. In his post he asked, "Will the government listen only to builders? Will the government ignore citizens for the benefit of builders?"

People living nearby are opposing the proposed data centre. They fear it will affect the whole neighbourhood. Thackeray's objections rest mainly on whether the site is appropriate and on the need for clearer information about the centre's impact on the environment and safety.

Data centres that run AI infrastructure need a great deal of power and cooling capacity. Depending on their design and operation, they can also produce machine noise and give off heat. This is why residents' concerns have raised the question of what such facilities require and whether they are compatible with densely populated residential areas.

Thackeray's letter demands that the state government step in to resolve these issues and reconsider the project's location.