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The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has scheduled the 140th meeting of its Regional Empowered Committee in Mumbai to review multiple proposals involving diversion of forest land in Maharashtra. Key projects include an 8-lane access-controlled highway for connectivity to the proposed Vadhavan Port and several national highway upgrades across districts such as Pune, Ahmednagar, Solapur, and Dharashiv. The committee also planned a field visit to assess ground conditions before discussions. An additional proposal related to industrial logistics in Gadchiroli is also part of the agenda, reflecting continued infrastructure expansion alongside environmental scrutiny.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change issued a notice regarding the 140th meeting of the Regional Empowered Committee, which was scheduled to take place in Mumbai under the chairmanship of the Deputy Director General (Central). The meeting was planned in hybrid mode, allowing both physical and virtual participation from members and officials. Advertisement
As part of the process, the committee had also planned a field inspection in Maharashtra in connection with a proposal involving diversion of 237.086 hectares of forest land. This land is intended for the construction of an 8-lane access-controlled highway that will provide connectivity to the proposed Vadhavan Port. Officials from the state government, including forest and revenue departments, were asked to remain present at the site with all necessary documents and arrangements.
The agenda included several infrastructure proposals requiring forest land diversion. One of the key projects involves the reconstruction and upgradation of the Junnar to Taleghar road stretch on NH-61, covering a design length of about 55.94 km and requiring 7.8992 hectares of forest land. Another proposal relates to the development of a greenfield Surat–Chennai highway segment passing through Solapur and Dharashiv districts, involving 9.32 hectares of forest land.
In addition, the committee was set to review the diversion of 7.043 hectares of forest land for the rehabilitation and upgradation of the Ahmednagar–Karmala–Tembhurni section of NH-561A. These projects are part of ongoing efforts to strengthen road infrastructure and improve regional connectivity in Maharashtra.
An additional proposal was also included in the agenda, involving the diversion of 9.13 hectares of forest land in Gadchiroli district. This land is proposed to be used for setting up logistics facilities linked to an integrated steel plant by Surjagadh Ispat Private Limited. The proposal highlights industrial development plans in the region, which has seen increased interest due to its mineral resources.
Such meetings of the Regional Empowered Committee play a key role in evaluating forest land diversion proposals under the forest conservation framework. In recent years, similar proposals for highway expansion and port connectivity have been reviewed to balance infrastructure growth with environmental considerations, especially in ecologically sensitive areas of Maharashtra.
The review of these proposals reflects the growing demand for infrastructure projects in Maharashtra, particularly those linked to logistics, highways, and port connectivity. At the same time, the involvement of the Regional Empowered Committee ensures that environmental aspects are examined before approvals are granted. The inclusion of both road and industrial proposals in a single meeting shows the scale of planned development. How these projects move forward will depend on compliance with forest regulations and site-level assessments carried out during such reviews.
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