SC stays HC order scrapping golf course, residential complex projects in Navi Mumbai

The Supreme Court Friday stayed the Bombay High Court order scrapping the projects for a golf course and a residential colony of 17 towers on a large water body surrounded by mangroves on Palm Beach Road in Navi Mumbai.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gopoi took note of the appeals of the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDC) of Navi Mumbai and the Mistry Construction Company Pvt Ltd against the High Court order and issued notices to the Ministry of Environment and Forest and the Navi Mumbai Environment Preservation Society.

"Issue notice. Stay (On the high court's order)," said the bench, also comprising Justices Deepak Gupta and Aniruddha Bose.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for CIDC, assailed the High Court's order which in November 2018 struck down a Maharashtra government notification that removed the two pockets of land of 21 hectares from the no-development zone for facilitating construction of the projects near NRI Seawoods Complex off Palm Beach Road in Navi Mumbai.

The order also directed the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation and the state government to protect and preserve mangroves, wetlands and lakes in the satellite city.

The order had come on two PILs filed by Navi Mumbai Environment Preservation Society and local resident Sunil Agarwal. They had sought protection of lakes, wetlands and mangroves.

The projects were being developed by the Mistry Construction Company Pvt Ltd.