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All clear for Shah Rukh Khan's ‘Mannat’ to grow taller: Supreme Court junks plea against clearance for renovation
The petition had challenged a September 2025 order of the National Green Tribunal's Pune bench.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a plea alleging environmental violations related to the addition of two floors to Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan's sea-facing residence 'Mannat' in Mumbai’s Bandra, raising "serious doubts" about the petitioner's bona fides.
"Once we have a doubt, we will not entertain your plea,” said a bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, as it heard activist Santosh Daundkar's appeal challenging the National Green Tribunal (NGT)'s dismissal of his appeal in September 2025.
The petition sought quashing of the January 2025 coastal regulation zone (CRZ) clearance granted for the seventh and eighth floors at Khan's residence. Dhaundkar named Khan's wife, Gauri, as a party in his plea before the NGT and the Supreme Court.
Senior advocate Shoeb Alam, who represented Dhaundkar, told the court that the rules were given a go-by. He added that a concession could not be made to a person who happens to be a leading actor. Alam said that any construction project worth over ₹5 crore in the area where ‘Mannat’ is located requires prior environmental clearance from the Union environment, forests and climate change ministry. Dhaundkar alleged the clearance was not obtained.
Alam argued that the 'Mannat' plot was earmarked for an art gallery in the statutory development plan. He added that this requirement was deleted in June 2004 without the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority's mandatory permission.
Khan's residence had six floors in addition to two levels of basement. The CRZ clearance allowed him to have a basement, ground up to the eighth floor, with a total height of over 37 metres.
Alam said that the NGT refused to go beyond the 2025 CRZ clearance. He alleged that in the course of constructing the structure, two heritage structures were demolished without prior mandatory approval.
The bench said, “You are resurrecting a heritage building claim now.” As Alam saw that the bench was not inclined to hear the appeal, he requested the court to send the matter back to the NGT for fresh adjudication. The court turned down the request.
The NGT dismissed Dhaundkar's plea, pointing out that the structure existed before the CRZ permission was made mandatory in 1991. It added that only an addition of two floors was being made to the existing building. The NGT said the project proponent obtained the approval for the plan from the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai in November 2024.
Khan and his family have been residing at 'Mannat' for the past two decades. The changes there included two additional floors featuring a duplex and an internal staircase. His mansion, with a total built-up area of nearly 27,000 square feet, is a heritage structure.
