October 6, 2025: Environmental activists have accused the Maharashtra government of systematically eroding Mumbai’s remaining natural spaces through its continuing infrastructure and development projects. The latest controversy follows a public notice issued by the Urban Development Department (UDD), proposing to convert 20,318 sq. metres (around five acres) of land — currently designated as a ‘Natural Area’ (NA) in the city’s Development Plan 2034 — into a residential zone for the construction of an EVM and VVPAT warehouse and a Civil Services Institute Gymkhana.
According to the notice, 6,475 sq. metres of NA land in Wadala is earmarked for a government office to store voting machines, while a further 13,843.82 sq. metres from the Salt Pan Division will be allotted to the IAS Association for the proposed gymkhana. The decision, which was approved in a cabinet meeting held on 16 March 2024, has sparked sharp criticism from environmental groups.
Activist Zoru Bathena, who has long campaigned against the misuse of open spaces, said the proposed site in Wadala is already overburdened with a monorail depot and a truck terminal. “The smaller parcel of land has already been handed over temporarily to Mumbai Metro 3, but while the use may be temporary, the destruction is permanent,” he said, urging the government to identify an alternative location for the gymkhana.
Stalin D, director of the NGO Vanashakti, warned that the city’s natural landscapes are being gradually replaced by large-scale construction projects. “Under Metro 11, from Wadala Bhakti Park to Sewri, vast stretches are being taken up for one project or another,” he said.
Environmentalists argue that such repeated conversions of natural areas set a dangerous precedent. “The presence of a few structures in a sensitive area cannot justify further degradation,” Stalin said. “This systematic erosion of green zones violates environmental laws and undermines the city’s ecological balance.”
Source: The Free Press Journal
