+
BMC yet to comply completely with coastal regulatory zone norms
ROADS & HIGHWAYS

BMC yet to comply completely with coastal regulatory zone norms

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has not completely complied with the provisions of coastal regulatory zone (CRZ) approval given to its coastal road project, as it has to pay at least Rs 74 crore to the state forest department for the coastal and marine biodiversity conservation.

According to a special condition laid down by the union environment ministry’s CRZ expert appraisal committee in 2017, the BMC has to give the Mangrove Foundation of Maharashtra 2% of the project value to balance the Coastal Road’s environmental influence.

The state forest department’s mangrove cell officials confirmed that the BMC is yet to pay this amount in its entirety. They additionally said that the BMC has not officially conveyed to the forest department their total cost of the project as of date, making it challenging to exact the payable amount according to the updated project prices.

Virendra Tiwari, additional principal chief conservator of forests (APCCF), mangrove cell told the media that the forest department has asked the BMC to deposit Rs 254 crore with them, which is 2% of the total project value of around Rs 12,700 crore. Of the Rs 254 crore, the BMC has deposited only Rs 150 crore yet despite it being necessary for the total amount to be paid on or before initiation of construction.

In 2017, when the project cost was valued at Rs 5,303 crore, the forest department had written to the BMC asking the latter to pay a sum of Rs 106.6 crore according to the conditions of the CRZ approval.

Of this, the BMC paid an initial tranche of Rs 25 crore on June 12, 2019. Due to project cost increase, the amount to be deposited toward coastal and marine conservation has also surged.

Soon after the MCZMA provided the additional land to be reclaimed (on December 2) in a post-facto approval, the BMC deposited another tranche of Rs 150 crore with the Mangrove Foundation on December 11, 2020, leaving an outstanding of Rs 74 crore. The total amount is to be added to the corpus fund of the Mangrove Foundation, which produces a certain amount of interest each year that is used in operating the organisation.

Image Source

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has not completely complied with the provisions of coastal regulatory zone (CRZ) approval given to its coastal road project, as it has to pay at least Rs 74 crore to the state forest department for the coastal and marine biodiversity conservation. According to a special condition laid down by the union environment ministry’s CRZ expert appraisal committee in 2017, the BMC has to give the Mangrove Foundation of Maharashtra 2% of the project value to balance the Coastal Road’s environmental influence. The state forest department’s mangrove cell officials confirmed that the BMC is yet to pay this amount in its entirety. They additionally said that the BMC has not officially conveyed to the forest department their total cost of the project as of date, making it challenging to exact the payable amount according to the updated project prices. Virendra Tiwari, additional principal chief conservator of forests (APCCF), mangrove cell told the media that the forest department has asked the BMC to deposit Rs 254 crore with them, which is 2% of the total project value of around Rs 12,700 crore. Of the Rs 254 crore, the BMC has deposited only Rs 150 crore yet despite it being necessary for the total amount to be paid on or before initiation of construction. In 2017, when the project cost was valued at Rs 5,303 crore, the forest department had written to the BMC asking the latter to pay a sum of Rs 106.6 crore according to the conditions of the CRZ approval. Of this, the BMC paid an initial tranche of Rs 25 crore on June 12, 2019. Due to project cost increase, the amount to be deposited toward coastal and marine conservation has also surged. Soon after the MCZMA provided the additional land to be reclaimed (on December 2) in a post-facto approval, the BMC deposited another tranche of Rs 150 crore with the Mangrove Foundation on December 11, 2020, leaving an outstanding of Rs 74 crore. The total amount is to be added to the corpus fund of the Mangrove Foundation, which produces a certain amount of interest each year that is used in operating the organisation. Image Source

Next Story
Real Estate

Heena Lalwani Buys Rs 1.13 Billion Juhu Apartment

Heena Lalwani, promoter of Aatman Innovations Private Limited, has purchased a luxury apartment worth Rs 1.13 billion in Mumbai’s upscale Juhu locality, according to property registration documents accessed by Zapkey.com.The 9,862 sq ft apartment, located on the 10th floor of Lodha Developers’ Avalon Tower, was acquired at Rs 115,000 per sq ft and comes with five car parking spaces. The deal, registered on 18 August 2025, also included the payment of Rs 68 million in stamp duty and a Rs 30,000 registration fee.Lodha Developers did not respond to queries regarding the transaction, while the..

Next Story
Real Estate

Godrej Buys KPHB Land for Rs 7 Billion in E-Auction

An acre of prime land in Kukatpally Housing Board (KPHB), Hyderabad, was auctioned for Rs 7 billion, with the Telangana Housing Board generating Rs 5.47 billion from the sale of 7.8 acres through e-auction on 20 August 2025.The auction notification was issued last month, attracting bids from Godrej Properties, Aurobindo Realty, Prestige Estates, and Ashoka Builders, according to Board vice-chairman V.P. Gautham. With an offset price of Rs 4 billion per acre, the three-hour auction saw 46 bid increases, before Godrej Properties acquired the land.Revenue generated from the auction will be utilis..

Next Story
Real Estate

HMDA to Auction 93 Prime Plots in September

The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) is preparing to conduct a three-day auction of prime open plots across Hyderabad, Rangareddy, and Medchal-Malkajgiri districts this September.According to official reports, the e-auction will take place on 17, 18, and 19 September, offering 93 plots. Of these, 70 are located in the Bachupally HMDA layout, with the remainder spread across Turkayamjal, Kokapet, Poppalguda, Chandanagar, Bairagiguda, Gandi Maisamma, Suraram, Medipally, and Bachupally village.The highest upset price has been fixed at Rs 175,000 per square yard for a land parce..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Talk to us?