Identified suitable land for rehabilitation of eligible SGNP slum dwellers, residents in Palghar district: State govt to HC

It had also pointed to restrictions arising from Airport Authority height norms on land at Chandivali in Mumbai.

Maharashtra government, Bombay High Court, Palghar district, rehabilitation,

Advocate General Milind Sathe and Additional Government Pleader Vishal Thadani, appearing for the state, submitted an affidavit by Anita Patil, Conservator of Forests, SGNP. (Express file photo)

The Maharashtra government on Tuesday informed the Bombay High Court that it has identified suitable land in Palghar district for the rehabilitation of eligible slum dwellers and residents of settlements inside the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP).

Last month, the HC had directed the state to identify at least three alternative land parcels of 90 acres each for rehabilitation, noting that such lands need not necessarily be in the vicinity of the SGNP. The court had also said the government could consider lands near Mumbai and that parties should “resolve” the issue, failing which the court would pass appropriate orders.

A bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam A Ankhad was hearing petitions seeking alternative accommodation and alleging non-compliance with HC orders of 1997 and 2003, which directed authorities to clear encroachments in the SGNP area and prevent further encroachments.

The state government had earlier clarified that of the total land at suburban Marol-Maroshi identified for rehabilitation, 44 acres would be available for residential development once the zonal master plan is notified and the embargo imposed by the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) at its meeting held on December 21, 2024 ceases to operate or is lifted. It had also pointed to restrictions arising from Airport Authority height norms on land at Chandivali in Mumbai.

On Tuesday, the court was told that the master plan had been prepared but was yet to be finalised, objections were to be invited, and if approved, the Marol-Maroshi land would fall outside the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ).

Advocate General (AG) Milind Sathe and Additional Government Pleader Vishal Thadani for the government submitted an affidavit by Anita Patil, Conservator of Forests, SGNP. The affidavit stated that Collector, Palghar district had identified vacant land parcels of 842 acres in villages Kolgaon, Palghar, Nandore, Tembhode, Shirgaon, Dapoli and Morekurun along with 252-acre land in village Kelve road. Moreover, the Thane District Collector had identified vacant land of 100 acres in Pise village in the Bhiwandi Taluka.

Sathe said the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) conducted site inspections of the identified lands on November 21 to assess their suitability for rehabilitation housing. The authority found the land parcel at Kelve village in Palghar district to be “suitable for the purpose of rehabilitation upon basic amenities being made available”.

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He submitted that the site has railway and bus connectivity, the land is vacant, falls in a residential zone and has no reservations. One issue, he added, still needs to be examined with the City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra Limited (CIDCO), the land-owning authority.

After a query from the bench, Sathe said the Kelve land is nearly 100 km from Mumbai. When the court asked about travel time and cost, he said the area is well connected by train and the ticket fare would be around Rs 50.

“So it is Rs 100 to and fro per day and Rs 3,000 a month and you pay them Rs 9,000 only,” the HC orally remarked.

The bench observed that the submissions in the affidavit were “contingent upon happening of something” and said it would be “very difficult to accept the affidavit”. The court also directed the authorities to place on record maps of the identified Palghar land and posted the matter for further hearing on February 3.