National Green Tribunal (NGT) has formally included the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) in an ongoing case concerning forest land diversion in and around Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP). The matter, triggered by a suo motu initiative based on a media report earlier this year, underscores growing public and judicial scrutiny over infrastructure development that may compromise Mumbai’s remaining natural habitats.
At the heart of the case is the proposed reconstruction and expansion of the Shri Krishna Nagar Bridge in Borivali East, a project for which the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has sought diversion of nearly 7,836 square feet of SGNP forest land. The civic body claims it has obtained in-principle clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. However, the matter has taken on broader implications due to its connection with the ambitious 10-kilometre Borivali-Thane Twin Tunnel project. This major underground corridor, passing beneath sensitive ecological zones including Tulsi Lake and the core forest area of SGNP, is being executed by the MMRDA. During the latest NGT hearing, BMC officials clarified that MMRDA is the principal agency responsible for the tunnel’s construction, and therefore must be made a party to the case.
The Tribunal agreed, directing that MMRDA’s chief executive be added as a respondent and that formal notice be served accordingly. The next hearing has been scheduled for September 24, 2025. Environmental experts argue that the case illustrates a larger systemic concern: the apparent dissonance between urban infrastructure development and ecological preservation. The proposed bridge and tunnel projects, though intended to ease traffic bottlenecks and improve east-west connectivity, have raised alarms for their potential impact on wildlife movement, tree cover, and long-term climate resilience in Mumbai’s northern suburbs.
The Tribunal also took note of the BMC’s submission that it will refile its project compliance documents after rectifying certain technical shortcomings. These include documentation around the use of forest land and environmental clearance processes. With SGNP acting as a critical biodiversity hotspot amid Mumbai’s dense urban sprawl, conservationists warn that indiscriminate land diversion, even when backed by technical approvals, could lead to irreversible ecological loss. Several public-interest groups have expressed concern that infrastructure plans are being pushed through without sufficient consideration of cumulative environmental impact assessments.
While the city’s infrastructure upgrade remains vital for its mobility and economic goals, experts insist that the future of urban development must align with sustainable and legally accountable frameworks. The NGT’s decision to broaden the scope of the case to include MMRDA reflects a growing insistence on institutional responsibility in balancing growth with green safeguards.
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