Mumbai The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Monday stayed the auction of a 25,000 square metre (sqm) plot of land in Navi Mumbai as a portion of it is classified as CRZ-1 under the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) rules.
The City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) was to open bids on the land on August 22, but a group of six residents of Seawoods NRI residential complex had sought a stay at the NGT’s western bench in Pune on August 17 stating that the proposed auction violated the CRZ Notification of 2019.
The auction, which was initially set to take place on August 4 but was pushed to a later date, was expected to earn the state at least ₹350 crore.
According to the CRZ rules, applicable across India, any land that is designated as CRZ-1 is an ecologically sensitive area in the intertidal region where no development is allowed to take place.
The petitioners asked the court to designate the plot (referred to as plot number 2A) as an open space as depicted in the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation’s development plan. The plot is intended for commercial as well as residential use, the tender document floated by CIDCO, read.
Their petition also claimed that the state environment department and the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA), failed to act on earlier complaints by the petitioners made between late July and early August, on the matter.
CIDCO did not comment on the NGT stay.
“The Hon’ble NGT was pleased to pass an order directing your office that no further steps for the tendering process are to be taken effective immediately qua Plot No. 2A in Sectors 54, 56 & 58 in Nerul (West), Navi Mumbai.. You are now restrained from declaring the successful bidder under the aforesaid e-tender effective immediately. You are informed that the restraining order now applies effective immediately and a copy of the said order shall be provided to you once it is uploaded,” Zaman Ali, the advocate for the petitioners wrote to CIDCO managing director on Monday following the hearing.
Hindustan Times had reported in July that the plot, located in the adjoining sectors of 54, 56 and 58 in Nerul, is one of 16 plots to be auctioned in the satellite city. It was the largest of the lot and carried a base rate of ₹1.36 lakh per sqm, making its reserve price a whopping ₹343.46 crore. The plot has a base floor space index (FSI) of 1.5. Real estate developers however expected the auction to fetch CIDCO double the amount, as it is located close to the sea.
CIDCO’s move to auction the land came under fire as around 30% of the plot is classified as CRZ-1. The remaining area falls under CRZ-II, which refers to areas that have already been developed up to the shoreline of the coast, and where building restrictions have recently been lifted.
“Part of Plot No.2A falls within CRZ-IA under the CRZ notification 2011. Clause 3(xii) of the CRZ Notification, 2011 prohibits construction activities in CRZ-I areas except those specified under clause 8 of the notification. Clause 8 of the notification sets out a very limited set of exceptions that does not include construction for commercial and residential purposes. The proposed development of a residential cum commercial complex on the parts of Plot No.2A that fall within CRZ-IA would therefore be in violation of the CRZ Notification 2011,” the petition stated.