Unified demand for committee to probe CRZ violations on 350-acre Andheri plot

Environment minister Pankaja Munde said she would visit the site personally and appoint a committee to probe the matter, if required

Mumbai: The legislative council on Monday witnessed rare scenes of unity between ruling party and opposition benches as legislators cutting across party lines demanded stringent action against developers accused of illegal destruction of mangroves, unauthorised reclamation of land and violation of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms on a 350-acre plot in Andheri West.

Environment minister Pankaja Munde (Hindustan Times)

Environment minister Pankaja Munde said orders would be given for immediate removal of reclamation and she would visit the site personally along with legislators and appoint a committee to probe the matter, if required.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Anil Parab raised the issue in the legislative council, asking why 70 acres out of the 350-acre plot spread across city survey numbers 161,167,168 and 169 had been excluded from the no development zone. He alleged that the developers – Usha Developers Co-op Housing Society, Billine Impex Pvt Ltd and Pearl Coschem Pvt Ltd – were occupying government land and action should be taken against them under the Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Slumlords, Bootleggers, Drug Offenders and Dangerous Persons Act. BJP MLC Praveen Darekar, Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Sachin Ahir, Congress MLC Bhai Jagtap supported the demands raised by Parab and demanded that a committee be appointed to probe the matter.

In response, environment minister Pankaja Munde said the developers had been fined ₹2.22 lakh last year following complaints about reclamation in the buffer zone of mangroves. Another fine worth ₹87.26 crore was levied on the developers in April 2025 as they continued with reclamation activities, the minister said.

“It is a serious matter. Mahalaxmi Enterprises was doing reclamation for the developers…FIR has been lodged in this matter. Though a fine of ₹87.26 crore was imposed, the developers have not paid it. So orders will be given for immediate collection of fines,” Munde said.

Given the gravity of the issue, she would personally visit and inspect the site along with legislators and the guardian minister of Mumbai suburban district. “If required we will set up a committee to probe the matter,” she said.

She also informed the council that out of the 70 acres excluded from the no development zone, 35 acres has been allocated to the National Law University, Mumbai. The developers would be booked for mangrove destruction, she said.

Deputy chairperson of the council, Neelam Gorhe, asked Munde to visit the site within a week and take a decision on appointing a committee before the end of the monsoon session on July 18. Gorhe also said that Munde and other MLCs needed to request chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to hold a meeting on the issue as many departments were involved.