200 Trees at Risk in Navi Mumbai Hotel Plan
In a significant development aimed at preserving green spaces, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued a notice to the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) regarding a controversial hotel project in Navi Mumbai. The project, located at Open Space 7 in Pawane, is threatening to destroy over 200 mature trees, prompting environmental groups to raise concerns about the loss of vital green cover in the region.
The issue arose when MIDC allocated a 300 square metre plot from the larger 3,600 square metre green space to a project-affected person (PAP) for the development of a hotel. Environmentalists, led by NatConnect Foundation director B N Kumar, argue that this development could lead to the felling of 34 trees just to provide access for the proposed hotel, which could set a dangerous precedent for the region’s remaining green spaces. The NGT’s western zonal bench, which comprises Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh and Dr Vijay Kulkarni, has asked MIDC to respond to the concerns raised by Kumar in his plea. Kumar, while expressing support for the resettlement of PAPs, emphasized that the preservation of green spaces must take precedence. He suggested that the PAP could be resettled in an alternative location, thus sparing the area’s valuable ecosystem.
The area in question has been maintained as a green space since 2001 by Expanded Polymer Systems Pvt Ltd, which has planted and nurtured over 200 trees. As per the region’s Comprehensive Development Control and Promotion Regulations (CDCPR) of 2023, construction activities in open spaces are restricted to recreational facilities and should not include commercial ventures such as hotels or restaurants. Environmentalists are particularly concerned because the land falls within a chemical zone, where pollutants from nearby factories could further degrade the environment. The Development Plan mandates the creation of green buffer zones to mitigate the impact of industrial pollution, and any development in this area would undermine that objective.
Documents obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act reveal that the land was initially leased to Expanded Polymer Systems Pvt Ltd in 2000 for afforestation purposes. However, in 2008, MIDC took back the land for allocation to the PAP, a decision that was only communicated to the company in January 2024. Kumar and his counsel, Ronita Bhattacharya, highlighted a crucial point in their application: allowing the hotel project to proceed would not only destroy 34 trees but could also open the door for future commercial development in other green spaces. This, they argued, would result in the gradual loss of a crucial environmental asset.
The NGT has scheduled the next hearing for February 10, 2025, and the outcome of this case could have significant implications for the preservation of green spaces in industrial zones across Maharashtra. NatConnect also pointed to a previous instance where the Bombay High Court overruled a decision by CIDCO to use open space for real estate development, a ruling later upheld by the Supreme Court. The case continues to highlight the balancing act between urban development and environmental preservation, with the NGT’s decision expected to set a critical precedent for the protection of green zones in India’s rapidly urbanising regions.
