Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC) has conditionally approved a group housing project in Vasant Kunj’s Sector B, Pocket 1, situated within Delhi’s ecologically sensitive morphological ridge.
The project, encompassing approximately 5,353 square metres—with 4,553 square metres lying within the protected ridge area—awaits final clearance from the apex court The morphological ridge, an extension of the ancient Aravalli range, serves as Delhi’s green lung, mitigating pollution and acting as a natural barrier against desertification. Despite its ecological significance, the area has witnessed increasing developmental pressures. The proposed housing project, comprising three towers with a 3B+S+9 floor configuration, exemplifies this trend.
The CEC’s report, dated May 14, acknowledges the site’s classification within the morphological ridge but notes its flat terrain and surrounding residential developments by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA). Importantly, the committee observed that none of the 23 trees on-site would be felled or translocated, with 19 deemed healthy, three dried out, and one recently rehabilitated. As a compensatory measure, the developer is mandated to plant 500 indigenous trees—250 along internal roads and 250 around the project’s periphery—and erect a 385-metre-long green fence.
The project has secured clearances from multiple authorities, including the DDA, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Airports Authority of India (AAI), and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), along with the State Expert Appraisal Committee. However, it has faced opposition from local residents and environmentalists. Concerns center on the potential violation of the Master Plan 2021, the absence of mandated 18-metre-wide roads, and the lack of separate entry and exit points, which could disrupt the neighborhood’s character dominated by four-floor flats.
Critics argue that the project’s location within the morphological ridge contravenes the Supreme Court’s 1996 directive in the M.C. Mehta vs. Union of India case, which mandates safeguarding ridge land against encroachment and non-forest use without prior court approval. They contend that the ecological integrity of the ridge should not be compromised for urban development, emphasizing the need for sustainable and equitable city planning.
The Supreme Court is expected to deliberate on the matter in the coming weeks, balancing the imperatives of urban development with ecological preservation. The outcome will set a precedent for future projects within Delhi’s morphological ridge, highlighting the ongoing tension between environmental conservation and urban expansion.
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