The Bombay High Court has directed the Maharashtra government to identify at least three alternative land parcels of 90 acres each within two weeks for the rehabilitation of eligible slum dwellers residing in the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP).
The order aims to break a decades-long deadlock between environmental protection and the housing rights of informal settlers within the city’s largest green lung. The directive came as the state government expressed difficulties in locating suitable sites for relocation within the city. The court clarified that the land need not be located adjacent to SGNP and may be identified in nearby regions to enable viable rehabilitation.The division bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam A. Ankhad said the state must “resolve” the issue or risk judicial intervention through further orders. The bench was hearing multiple pleas, including one filed by Samyak Janhit Seva Sanstha, an association representing SGNP residents, and a contempt petition by Conservation Action Trust, which has long pressed for the removal of encroachments and the preservation of the park’s ecosystem.
The petitioners argued that despite earlier High Court orders in 1997 and 2003, encroachments have persisted while the rehabilitation process has remained stalled.Advocate General Birendra Saraf informed the court that 44 acres at Marol-Maroshi in suburban Mumbai had been earmarked for potential residential development, pending the approval of a Zonal Master Plan. However, the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) has imposed an embargo on all projects within the eco-sensitive zone until the plan is finalised and notified. The state indicated it would seek the necessary permissions from the Supreme Court and relevant authorities, if required. Expressing concern, the bench remarked that uncertainties surrounding eco-sensitive zones could delay the project indefinitely. “If tomorrow the land is declared a reserve forest, the project will be stuck,” the Chief Justice observed.
The court therefore instructed the state to identify three additional sites to ensure progress and file an affidavit confirming their suitability within two weeks.Urban policy experts say the case illustrates the need for a balanced framework that protects critical biodiversity while ensuring humane resettlement for low-income residents. “Rehabilitation must be designed as part of a long-term urban strategy, not a reactionary exercise. Planning for livelihoods, transport access, and community facilities is essential to make relocation sustainable,” said an urban development researcher. The High Court will next review the matter on December 3. A high-powered committee led by former Allahabad High Court Chief Justice Dilip B. Bhosale continues to oversee the process of eviction, rehabilitation, and the construction of a boundary wall around SGNP to prevent further encroachments.
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