Residents of Panju island, situated between Vasai and Naigaon in Maharashtra, successfully halted a ₹3.24 crore (approximately $390,000 USD) road-strengthening project initiated by the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB). The villagers argued that the existing two-kilometer road was in good condition and did not require reconstruction. Following protests and a formal complaint about potential irregularities, the MMB agreed to scale back the project, opting instead to repair only the damaged sections of the road, which will reduce the project's cost to less than half of the original estimate. Panju island, covering 300 acres and home to around 3,500 residents, relies on this single road for access to the railway station, with residents often walking a considerable distance to reach public transport. Former Sarpanch Ashish Bhoir emphasized the need for transparency and raised concerns about possible corruption in the awarding of the contract to a contractor based in Dombivli. The villagers also expressed frustration over previous development plans that had stalled, including a ₹90 crore tourism project and a ₹1,600 crore road project that was ultimately shelved.