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The Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) has earmarked nearly 100 acres of land linked to the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) under its draft planning proposals, drawing concerns from environmental groups and forest authorities. The land has reportedly been proposed for public-use and green infrastructure purposes as part of the city’s development framework. The move comes amid continuing legal and policy discussions around forest land, rehabilitation planning and development activity near SGNP, where urban expansion and infrastructure growth have increasingly intensified land-use pressures.
The Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) has proposed reserving around 100 acres of land associated with the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) as part of its ongoing planning and development exercise, bringing renewed focus to land-use regulation around environmentally sensitive zones in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Advertisement
According to information emerging from the civic planning process, the land has been marked for public-use and green infrastructure-related purposes. Officials have reportedly maintained that the proposal is based on available land records and intended to support recreational and civic amenities within the broader urban framework being prepared for Thane’s future growth.
The proposal has, however, triggered concerns among environmental groups and conservation activists, who have cautioned against introducing development-linked reservations on land connected to protected forest areas. Environmental stakeholders have argued that increasing urbanisation pressure around SGNP could gradually affect biodiversity, wildlife movement corridors and ecological balance in the region.
The issue gains significance as Thane and neighbouring parts of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region continue to witness rapid infrastructure expansion, residential growth and transport-related development. Over the past few years, multiple projects involving roads, metro corridors, rehabilitation schemes and urban infrastructure have moved closer to eco-sensitive zones surrounding SGNP.
Forest-linked land in and around Thane has also remained subject to legal disputes and administrative review in recent years. Courts have heard multiple matters concerning land classification, ownership claims, private forest status and transfer of development rights associated with parcels located near protected areas and reserved forest zones.
Separately, the state government has been examining rehabilitation measures connected to settlements located within or near SGNP-linked land parcels. Rehabilitation planning for eligible slum residents and encroachments has remained a key challenge for authorities due to the limited availability of suitable relocation land within the metropolitan region.
The broader SGNP region has increasingly become central to policy discussions balancing urban development requirements with environmental protection. Authorities have simultaneously pursued infrastructure expansion while preparing regulatory frameworks governing eco-sensitive zones and permissible land use near protected forest boundaries.
Urban planners and environmental experts have frequently highlighted the need for stricter scrutiny of development proposals around SGNP, particularly as the metropolitan region experiences sustained real estate and infrastructure growth. Concerns have also been raised over fragmentation of green cover and long-term ecological impact arising from incremental urban expansion near forest areas.
The reservation proposal is expected to undergo further review as objections and suggestions submitted during the planning process are examined by civic authorities. The issue could witness additional administrative and legal scrutiny before the land-use framework is finalised.
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